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Product category: Building Trade Associations and Institutes
News Release from: The Forum of Private Business
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial Team on 28 July 2006

Egg selling and traceability anomolies

Rules that allowed a farm B and B to sell, fresh unstamped eggs to passers-by at the farm gate, but prevented them from being cooked for guests, have been successfully challenged.

Rules that allowed a farm B and B to sell, fresh unstamped eggs to passers-by at the farm gate, but prevented them from being cooked for guests, have been successfully challenged by an adviser for the Forum of Private Business (FPB) Bob Salmon, Food Adviser for the FPB, pointed out that the regulations covering fresh eggs state that, when used by catering establishments, they should be properly boxed and labelled 'Grade A.' This meant that farms offering bed and breakfast to guests could not cook them a meal that included fresh eggs laid by their own hens, even though it was legal to sell such eggs at the farm gate

But, in a letter to Mr Salmon, the Food Standards Agency admitted that this anomaly seemed "contrary to the spirit of EC food legislation," adding that there seemed to be "some scope for interpretation in the regulations." However, for reasons that are not made clear, that "scope for interpretation" is rather limited.

The letter continues, "We have agreed that, if the B and B is small (e.g three rooms or fewer) and they are producing their own eggs, then we should not be unduly concerned that the B and B is using its own eggs in meals for their client." What is more, no doubt to the bemusement of B and B customers, guests should be informed that "the eggs are direct from their own hens and are not Class 'A'." Also, "advice should be offered stating that, because the eggs are not Class 'A', the customer might like them properly cooked, particularly if they are in a vulnerable group." Still, at least that was a success of sorts for common sense.

However, Mr Salmon was less successful in raising another issue with the grandiose-sounding Egg Marketing Inspectorate.

At one time farmers were allowed to sell their own production at farmers' markets without these eggs being stamped and graded.

A change in the rules appeared to put their concession in doubt.

Mr Salmon pointed out that some shoppers wanted to buy unstamped eggs, fearing that stamped eggs were mass produced and could be less fresh.

He added that there were no issues with tracing the eggs sold at markets as the producer would be present at the stall.

For small egg producers, the cost of hand-stamping eggs would make production uneconomical and unsold stamped eggs could not go on to a packing station as the code would be wrong meaning the eggs would have to be scrapped.

But in spite of the EU's desire to encourage "traditional methods and practices" the Egg Marketing Board was unmoved by Mr Salmon's arguments.

None of his points could "eliminate the need for traceability and evenness of legislation across all third party or public retail outlets." It seems that selling eggs is more complicated than most people realise.

The official expresses surprise that customers should think stamped eggs are less fresh.

"This either demonstrates a lack of consumer awareness with respect to the codes on the eggs, or perhaps indicates that market stallholders have not been displaying the legally required information which would provide this guidance at the point of sale." He adds: "I may appear to be a cynical optimist, but I have never failed to educate people to the truth about eggs and I wonder what stall holders tell their customers?" But Mr Salmon was unmoved.

"The authorities seem more concerned with the letter of the law than with safe food economically produced, they must realise that peoples livelihoods depend on this trade," he said.

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