Eggs

New food safety law

A new law, called the Egg Food Safety Scheme (the Scheme), commenced on 18 June 2010. It covers NSW businesses that produce, grade or process eggs and egg related products for sale. See the information sheet About the NSW Egg Food Safety Scheme for more information.

The new law will impact businesses such as:

• egg producers (including small egg farms)
• egg graders
• egg processors
• egg storage facilities (other then whole eggs)
• egg transport vehicles (other than whole eggs)

The law was developed to ensure eggs produced, graded or processed in NSW continue to be safe to eat.

Certain businesses covered by the new law will need to hold a NSW Food Authority licence and have an audited food safety program in place.

For information on the background of the Egg Food Safety Scheme, see Development of the new law.

Small egg farms

A small egg farm that produces more than 20 dozen eggs for sale in any week needs to hold a licence. Small egg farms that do not need to hold a licence must notify the Food Authority.

These small egg farms do not need to implement a food safety program but will need to maintain some records.

For further information on how to notify your business details and other requirements under the new law for small egg farms, see the information sheet Requirements for notified small egg farms.

Impacted businesses need to be licensed

Egg businesses covered by the new law need to submit a licence application form and pay an annual licence fee. A one-off licence application fee also applies. (Note: licensed egg businesses that do not produce more than 100 dozen eggs for sale in any week are entitled to a licence fee waiver and a one-off licence application fee waiver.)

It is against the law for impacted businesses not to submit a licence application form.

There is one licence form for egg producers, graders, processors and storage facilities, and another form for egg transport vehicles.

Licence application forms

• for premises to produce/process/store eggs & egg related products (LIC004) pdf, 147 KB
• for food transport vehicles (LIC007) pdf, 135 KB

Licensed egg businesses do not need to notify the Authority of their business details as well.

Certain businesses need to be inspected

Egg producers that on-sell all their eggs for grading are not required to implement a food safety program but need to be inspected.

Initial inspections from a NSW Food Authority Officer, to assess compliance with requirements, started in December 2010.

For more information on these requirements, see the information sheet Requirements for egg producers

Impacted businesses need an audited food safety program

Certain businesses covered by the new law need to implement a food safety program. Businesses have six months from when their licence is issued to develop and implement their food safety program and prepare for an audit.

To assist with developing a food safety program, small egg businesses that produce, collect, grade, store and transport eggs can use the Small Egg Producers Food Safety Program template.

Audits of impacted businesses started on 1 March 2011. From this date businesses will need to have their food safety program audited on a regular basis. For information on audits, see Audits of licensed businesses.

Resources to help businesses

Materials are available to help egg businesses understand and comply with the requirements of the new law.

These resources include:

• General information sheets which explain the requirements of the Egg Food Safety Scheme, such as which businesses need to notify, and which businesses need to be licensed, audited and implement a food safety program:
  
  • About the NSW Egg Food Safety Scheme (pdf, 217KB) 
  • Egg definitions (pdf, 169KB) 
  • Requirements for notified small egg farms (pdf, 203KB) 
  • Requirements for licensed egg businesses (pdf, 183KB)
    
• Detailed activity-specific information sheets which explain requirements for licensed businesses:
  
  • Requirements for egg producers (pdf, 189KB) 
  • Requirements for egg graders (pdf, 212KB) 
  • Requirements for egg processors (pdf, 83KB) 
  • Requirements for egg storage facilities (pdf, 64KB)  
  • Requirements for egg transport vehicles (pdf, 64KB) 
    
• NSW Food Safety Schemes Manual pdf, 358 KB   
  • this specifies microbiological testing requirements and pasteurisation equipment requirements
    
• Small Egg Producers Food Safety Program template pdf, 300 KB & Word^TM version for customising   
  • for small egg producers that primarily sell their eggs at farm gate or farmers markets
  • helps businesses comply with their legal requirement to develop a food safety program
  • includes typical operations undertaken by these businesses, and additional food safety procedures that must be followed to ensure eggs are safe (eg personal hygiene, pest control)
  • businesses may need to customise the template to reflect their operations and food safety procedures
    
    
• Answers to questions raised through NSW Farmers' Association

Other resources 

• Using eggs safely in food service and manufacturing (pdf, 75KB)  

Consultation

For details of the extensive consultation process, see Development of the new law.