Regulations 3(2), (3) and (4), 5(7)and 7
1. All operations shall be carried out in such a way as to avoid all contamination during the production, handling and storage of egg products.
2. In manufacturing egg products—
(a)only non-incubated eggs which are fit for human consumption may be used, and their shells must be fully developed and contain no breaks, and
(b)cracked eggs may be used provided that they are delivered directly from packing centres or the farm of production to the approved establishment at which they are to be heat treated, and broken there as quickly as possible.
3. The egg products shall be removed from the shell by a technique in which the eggs are broken in such a way as to avoid as far as possible contamination of the egg contents and which enables the contents of individual eggs to be inspected and if necessary rejected.
4. The egg products shall not be obtained by centrifuging or crushing.
5. Eggs and egg products which are unfit for human consumption shall be removed and denatured in such a way that they cannot be re-used for human consumption. They shall immediately be placed in the room provided for in paragraph 14 of Part I of Schedule 8.
6.—(1) Whole egg or yolk shall be pasteurised as specified in Part I of Schedule 2.
(2) Whole egg or yolk which is pasteurised by the process specified in sub-paragraph (a) ofPart I of Schedule 2 shall satisfy the requirements of Part II of that Schedule.
(3) Albumen shall be heat treated as specified in Schedule 3.
7. A sample of the egg products from each batch shall be taken at the establishment at which they have been heat treated. When the sample is tested it shall satisfy the microbiological criteria and tests specified in Parts I to V inclusive of Schedule 4.
8. Batches of egg products shall be sampled at the establishment. When the sample is tested it shall satisfy the criteria specified in Part VI of Schedule 4.
9.—(1) Eggs and egg products presented for subsequent treatment at the establishment shall be stored immediately on arrival in the rooms provided for in paragraph 7 of Part I of Schedule 8 until they are processed.
(2) The temperature of those rooms shall be appropriate for the storage of eggs and egg products.
(3) Trays of shell eggs shall not be placed directly on the floor.
10. Eggs shall be unpacked, and, if necessary, washed and disinfected, in a room which is separate from the breaking room, and packaging material shall not be taken into the breaking room.
11. Eggs shall be broken in the room provided for in paragraph 9 of Part I of Schedule 8.
12.—(1) Dirty eggs shall be cleaned before being broken, and this shall be carried out in a room which is separate from the breaking room or from any room where exposed egg contents are handled.
(2) Cleaning procedures shall be such as to prevent contamination or adulteration of the egg contents.
(3) Shells shall be sufficiently dry at the time of breaking to prevent adulteration of the egg contents by the remains of the cleaning water.
13.—(1) Eggs other than hen eggs or those of turkeys or guinea fowl shall be handled and processed separately.
(2) All equipment shall be cleaned and disinfected when processing of hen eggs and those of turkeys and guinea fowl is resumed.
14. The remains of shells or membranes shall be kept out of the egg product as far as possible and shall not exceed the quantity specified in paragraph 20 below.
15.—(1) After breaking, all the egg products shall undergo treatment as quickly as possible.
(2) A batch which has been insufficiently treated may immediately undergo treatment again in the same establishment provided either that the new treatment renders it fit for human consumption or that, should it be found to be unfit for human consumption, it is denatured in such a way that it cannot be re-used for human consumption.
16. If treatment is not carried out immediately after breaking, the egg contents shall be stored under satisfactory hygiene conditions, either frozen or at a temperature of not more than 4°C. The storage period at 4°C or less shall not exceed 48 hours, except in the case of ingredients to be desugared.
17.—(1) Any further processing operations after treatment shall ensure that there is no recontamination of the egg product; liquid egg products or concentrated egg products which have not been stabilised so as to keep at room temperature shall be either dried or cooled to a temperature not exceeding 4°C as quickly as possible, or after undergoing a fermentation process.
(2) Products for freezing shall be frozen immediately after treatment and cooling.
18. Egg products shall be kept at the temperatures required by Schedule 5 until they are used for the manufacture of other foodstuffs.
19. In establishments approved under regulation 5, the preparation of egg products from raw materials which are not suitable for the manufacture of foodstuffs shall not be carried out, even for non-food purposes.
20. The quantity of egg shell remains, egg membrane, and any other particles in the egg product shall not exceed 100 mg/kg of egg product.
21. The storage and transport of egg products from the establishment shall comply with Schedules 5 and 6.