Egg Hygiene

Question 1

What three main pieces of legislation regulate egg production?

Answer 1

Regulation (EC) 1234/2007 - controls salmonella
(EC) 617/2008 - marketing standards for hatchings
(EC) 589/2008 - marketing standards

Question 2

Were do the legislations not apply?

Answer 2

Hobby farmers (under 350 hens)

Question 3

Who enforces the legislations?

Answer 3

The egg marketing inspectors in England and Wales

Question 4

Define class A eggs

Answer 4

Fit for direct human consumption

Question 5

What are the characteristics of class A eggs?

Answer 5

Shell and cuticle are normal shape, clean and undamaged
Air space not exceeding 6mm
Yolk visible on candling
White is clear with no foreign bodies

Question 6

Can class A eggs be washed or chilled below 5’C before grading?

Answer 6

No

Question 7

What is the sizing of eggs?

Answer 7

XL - over 73g
L: 63-73g
M: 53-63g
S: under 53g

Question 8

Is a class B egg fit for human consumption?

Answer 8

Not until it has been pasteurised

Question 9

What type of eggs are class B?

Answer 9

Eggs from salmonella positive flocks

Damaged or unclean eggs

Question 10

What happens to ungraded eggs?

Answer 10

They can be supplied directly to the producer

Question 11

What information is printed on the egg?

Answer 11

Farming method
Country of origin
Farm ID
Quality standards eg. Lion for the UK

Question 12

What does the red lion symbolise?

Answer 12

Eggs are produced from chickens that have been vaccinated against salmonella enteritis

Question 13

What does the national control plan mean?

Answer 13

Eggs from flocks that have confirmed salmonella (enteritis and typhimurium) cannot be sold as fresh shell eggs

Question 14

Each batch (or consignment) of imported eggs must..

Answer 14

Be from an approved country
Enter the EU through a boarder post where they must pass veterinary checks
Be accompanied by a public health certificate

Question 15

How can we prevent salmonella?

Answer 15

Restiock with birds from reliable sources
Routine salmonella sampling 
Decontaminate feed
Vaccination
Pest control
Good biosecurity

Question 16

Describe salmonella

Answer 16

Gram -ve non-sporulating

Member of enterobacteria

Question 17

How long can salmonella survive in the environment?

Answer 17

Up to 72 months

Question 18

How can a farm increase its biosecurity to salmonella?

Answer 18

Control of rodents: Baiting
All in all out system- allows for thorough cleaning
Foot dips and clean overalls for each barn
Controll access of vehicles to the farm

Question 19

How can flocks be vaccinatesd against salmonella?

Answer 19

Live attenuated vaccine to stimulate the humeral and cell mediated immunity
Three doses at: 1 day old, 2-6 weeks and then prior to onset of laying

Question 20

Is blanket use of antibiotics allowed for chickens?

Answer 20

No, only use is to treat specific diseases

Question 21

What is dysbiosis?

Answer 21

Microflora imbalance that leads to prolonged excretion and possible reinfection of salmonella (check)

Question 22

What other methods can farmers employ to prevent salmonella in their flock?

Answer 22

Acid-treated feed
Sanitised water (UV, Acid, Filtration, Chlorination)
Competitive exclusion products (not when using live attenuated vaccines)
Air disinfection with chloramide T
Control Red mites

Question 23

Who says the best before date must be stamped on eggs?

Answer 23

The British Lion Code of practice

Question 24

What does the zoonoses order 1989 state?

Answer 24

Isolation of salmonella from animals, carcases, feed etc should be reported to DEFRA/AHPA

Question 25

What is the most important thing in controlling salmonella

Answer 25

Rodents!

Question 26

Describe the campylobacter bacteria

Answer 26

Gram -ve, Motile, spiral shaped rod

Commensal of many animals

Question 27

What are the most common zoonotic campylobacter species?

Answer 27

C. Jejuni (+++)
C. coli
C. Lari

Question 28

How many cases of campylobacter can be attributed to poultry?

Answer 28

Up to 80% of cases are due to raw poultry.

50% of supermarket chickens tested positive.

Question 29

Will campylobacter infect young chickens?

Answer 29

Rarely infects chicks under 2 weeks old

Due to a lag phase that might be because of maternal antibodies/ microflora

Question 30

How infective is campylobacter to chickens?

Answer 30

Extremely (around 10 cells)

Rapid colonisation of the whole flock within 24-48h due to coprophagy and airborne spread

Question 31

Can campylobacter be controlled using modified atmosphere packaging?

Answer 31

Not really

Question 32

Can irradiation of carcases help control campylobacter?

Answer 32

Eliminates the campylobacter but leaves a rancid odour

Question 33

Can freezing of carcases help control campylobacter?

Answer 33

It works but people want fresh chicken

Question 34

How are we currently controlling campylobacter at a retail level?

Answer 34

Shaming retailers via a yearly FSA report

Question 35

What methods of biological control can we employ to control campylobacter?

Answer 35

Viruses that infect bacteria (bacteriophage) 
Predatory bacteria (Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus)

Question 36

Where is C. Coli most often found?

Answer 36

Poultry and pigs