Lion mark
The Lion Quality Code of Practice incorporates the latest research findings and technical developments to achieve the highest standards of food safety. The measures include:
- Compulsory vaccination of hens against Salmonella Enteritidis.
- There are increased hygiene controls and Salmonella testing right through the production system.
- Higher standards of animal welfare than required by law.
- Stringent feed controls, including production of feed to Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS) standards and the banning of growth promoters, canthaxanthin and lasalocid in laying birds.
- A best-before date and logo must be printed on the shell and egg box.
- Independent monitoring in accordance with the EN 45011 standard. Farms and packing stations are regularly audited including unannounced audits.
More than 85% of UK eggs are now produced under the Lion Quality scheme, and several reports have confirmed the success of the scheme since its introduction in 1998.
A 2001 Government report by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food highlighted the effectiveness of poultry vaccination in reducing human salmonella cases by more than half.
The Food Standards Agency also confirmed the success of the UK egg industry in overcoming salmonella in eggs. In its survey of eggs on retail sale, it tested more than 28,000 UK-produced eggs and no salmonella was found inside any of them.
The European Food Safety Authority published a report in 2007 that confirmed the status of UK egg production as among the safest in the world. Several EU countries reported levels of salmonella of public health significance on their flock holdings of more than 50%, while the UK figure was only 8%. The vaccination programme stipulated in the Lion Code of Practice ensures additional protection against salmonella for British Lion eggs.
Read more about the Lion Code of Practice here.
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