CORE AREA 1 FOOD STUDIES Egg Quality Assurance Scheme (EQAS)
If eggs bear the Bord Bia Quality Mark it tells the consumer that the eggs are quality assured as they have been produced with the highest level of care and attention from primary production through to packaging. To achieve this, the producer and packager must be certified members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme and work in partnership to provide customers with quality-assured eggs.
For a producer to obtain the Bord Bia Quality Mark their farm must be audited by Bord Bia to ensure:
• participation in routine salmonella testing of the hens to prevent the risk of salmonellosis in humans. All hens laying eggs must be certified salmonella-free
• accurate records are kept on the origin, sex, age, breed, movement and vetinary treatments of all hens to ensure eggs are fully traceable
• all feed given to hens is heat-treated to reduce bacterial contamination.
For a packaging plant to obtain the Bord Bia Quality Mark they must be audited to ensure:
• implementation of a thorough sanitation and pest-control programme
• staff who operate or monitor any critical control point (CCP) receive Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and food safety training.
Free-range eggs with the Bord Bia Quality Mark
Egg packaging plant ?
Explain how quality is assured in egg production in order to minimise food safety risks. (10) HL
