Get cracking... runny eggs now back on the menu
RUNNY eggs are safe to eat for most people, the food safety watchdog said yesterday – almost 30 years after the salmonella crisis.
Pregnant women, infants and the elderly can all safely eat raw or lightly cooked eggs if they are produced under the British Lion Code of Practice, ruled the Food Standards Agency following a review of new evidence.
It had previously advised that vulnerable groups should not eat runny eggs because they could contain salmonella bacteria which can cause serious illness.
But a report published by the Advisory Committee On The Microbiological Safety Of Food in July last year said the presence of salmonella in UK eggs had been “dramatically reduced” in recent years, and the risks were “very low” for eggs which had the British Lion mark.
More than 90 per cent of UK eggs are produced under this scheme.
FSA chairwoman Heather Hancock said: “It’s good news that now even vulnerable groups can safely eat UK eggs without needing to hard-boil them, so long as they bear the British Lion mark. The FSA has thoroughly reviewed the scientific evidence about the safety of these eggs, and we’re confident that we can now change our advice to consumers.
“The major reduction in the risk of salmonella in Lion eggs is testament to the work carried out by egg producers. The measures they’ve taken, from vaccination of hens through to improving hygiene on farms and better transportation, have dramatically reduced salmonella levels in UK hens.”
The revised advice does not apply to people who need medically supervised diets because of a weakened immune system. It also does not include UK eggs without the Lion mark, eggs from other fowl and eggs from outside the UK. They should all always be cooked thoroughly for vulnerable people.
Fears over salmonella peaked in the late 1980s when two million chickens were slaughtered and pregnant women were told to avoid under-cooked eggs.
In 1988 Edwina Currie, then a junior health minister, sparked a public outcry and was forced to resign after saying most eggs in Britain carried salmonella. By early 1989 the link between eggs and salmonella poisoning was proved beyond doubt.