UK: levels of salmonella contamination measured

A survey, which ran from November 2005 to January 2007, was carried out in the UK by the Health Protection Agency. The survey analysed over 1,500 samples of six catering egg shells from eight different countries and used in UK catering premises.

The results showed that egg shells and contents had a contamination of 0.38% or six samples in total. Of the six samples, five were from eggs produced in the UK and one from Germany.

However, the survey did highlight evidence of poor storage and handling practices in some catering premises. Over half of premises failed to store their eggs under refrigerated conditions and a fifth of the egg samples had either expired before date, or were in use after three weeks of lay, indicating poor stock rotation.