Crack the Code
Cracking the code on eggs
All eggs are traceable back to the farm. The shell of each egg is printed with an ID code and this code identifies the origin of the eggs.
Packing Centre and Farm Inspections
The Packing Centre and the production units are registered with the Department of Agriculture and are subject to unannounced inspections on an ongoing basis. Both the Packing Centre and the Production units are audited annually by an appointed Bord Bia auditor and both the Packing centre and the production units have Bord Bia EQAS approval. The objectives of the Bord Bia Egg Quality Assurance Scheme is to provide guarantees in relation to food safety, quality and product traceability. The scheme’s standards cover operations from the farm to the packing centre.
Under the requirements of the scheme we can only source eggs from approved Bord Bia EQAS farms. The industry Codes of Practice for the Control of Salmonella is implemented. This includes monthly environmental testing on each flock supplying eggs by DAFM approved laboratories. The Packing centre is also subject to several audits per year including BRC Global Food Standard and other customer standards.
Egg sizes
Eggs are sized by weight. Eggs in the same carton may appear to be different sizes, but their weight will be within a similar range. The following minimum weights are used to classify eggs into different sizes.
- Very Large – greater than 73g
- Large – between 63g and 73g
- Medium – between 53g and 63g
- Small – less than 53g
Sometimes different sizes are packed together in one pack. When this is the case the minimum net weight is indicted on the pack instead of the size.
Double Yolks
A hen will sometimes produce double-yolk eggs at the very beginning or near the end of her reproductive life due to hormonal changes. When this happens, the shell forms around two yolks instead of one, creating a double-yolk egg. Double yolk eggs are safe to eat and cook with. Some people consider finding a double – yolk egg very lucky!
Blood Spots
A blood spot is caused by the rupture of a blood vessel in the hen when the egg is forming. Though eggs with blood spots are normally removed during the inspection and grading process, occasionally they pass through undetected and end up in a carton of eggs. An egg with a blood spot is safe to eat, and you can cook and bake with it in the usual ways. If you wish, you can remove the spot with the tip of a knife or a piece of shell before you cook the egg.
