Raw eggs in pregnancy

[nappyaddict]

Are all eggs from UK supermarkets British eggs or are they sometimes foreign?

Also are all British hens vaccinated against Salmonella or only the ones with the lion mark on? If you were to buy eggs fresh from a British farm they don't always have the lion mark on them but if all British hens are vaccinated against salmonella then they would be safe to eat raw or undercooked wouldn't they.

Do restaurants in Britian always use British eggs? I would presume if the supermarkets only sell British eggs than restaurants in Britain only use British eggs?

Not all British hens are vaccinated against salmonella. Usually only hybrids are vaccinated, not pure breeds. I am not sure how many pure breed hen eggs get into supermarkets though.

I wouldn't assume any egg without the lion stamp was from a hen that had been vaccinated against salmonella unless I had had it confirmed by a reliable source.

We have hens and they are purebred, so not vaccinated against salmonella. I miss runny eggs, but I'm not about to buy a shop egg to have one.

That's a no go!

Not worth the risk IMO. Stamped or not - the FSA recommend it to be cooked through completely - small price to pay for peace of mind.

yes but how many people have ever in their lives had samonella from an egg, cooked or undercooked?
i've heard of one person, my teacher in year 6 (20 years ago) who ate a raw egg every day

midori Do all supermarket eggs have the lion stamp though?

Is there a reason pure breeds aren't vaccinated? Do you sell your eggs?

I guess some independent restaurants may use locally produced eggs from a farm rather than using them from a big supplier, the supermarket or cash and carry?

I suppose the best thing to do is ask if the eggs they use (also for homemade mayo and ice cream) have the lion stamp on them. If they do then there's no risk of salmonella, if not then don't risk it.

All stamped eggs (including those from supermarkets) are from vaccinated hens, but this doesn't mean that the risk goes away, but it is only a tiny risk.

If you buy eggs from a chicken keeper, chances are, the chickens won't be vaccinated, but it is still a tiny risk, as keepers of small numbers of chickens tend to keep them in more hygienic conditions.

I'm not sure if all supermarket eggs are lion stamped, tbh. It's a while since I have bought any.

Pure breeds aren't usually vaccinated as they aren't massz produced and are more likely to be produced by small breeders who don't keep all that many hens. The vaccines come in huge batches to do several thousand hens (I think several thousand, don't quote me on that, but it's a large number) and so it's just not economical for smaller breeders to vaccinate hens.

Pure breeds also aren't such productive egg layers as hybrids, so I would imagine most supermarket eggs are from hybrids of some sort because it's more economical to keep hens that lay 330 eggs a year (hybrid) compared to pure breeds which may only lay 180 eggs per year.

I don't sell my eggs. In winter we only just get enough really. They lay more in summer, but we just give away the excess to friends.

I wouldn't eat any raw egg product when pregnant, tbh. It's a shame, but not worth the risk.

I think all British supermarket eggs have the lion stamp.

Restaurants could use eggs from a local supplier, or import their eggs. So you can't be sure the hens have been vaccinated.

However, in my personal opinion, the risk is so tiny that it isn't worth worrying about. I barely see it as a risk - I have eaten runny eggs in pregnancy. I would never do anything to harm my baby BUT I just don't see this as remotely likely. .

Of course, it is up to you to decide as every person has a different perspective!

I agree, the risk is small, and a lot of the food in pregnancy guidelines are just that: guidelines. (and they vary somewhat by country too).

so I think you just need to make a judgement call for yourself and do what feels right.

I've been eating medium cooked (runny) eggs regularly without a second thought. but I don't eat them raw and i wash my hands after touching them.

I've been eating all kinds of eggs but only organic or free range since the chickens tend to have less disease.

Most restaurants these days dont use actual eggs in raw egg dishes but pasturised liquid egg. This is because of H&S regulations around food safety, therefore most "raw egg" dishes in restaurants (Choc mousse etc) are perfectly safe to eat. Just ask the restaurant and they should be able to tell you (found this out after enquiring about chocolate mousse when pg- v posh restaurant too)

Thankyou. We are going to a lovely restaurant that does homemade ice cream for my friend's birthday and would hate for her to miss out.

Does anyone know where you can buy pasteurised eggs still in the shells as opposed to frozen, liquid or powder form?