Where our eggs come from – and the latest Salmonella advice

You may have seen recent reports about a Salmonella outbreak in the UK. As of 13 August, the UK Health Security Agency had identified 207 confirmed cases, with investigations finding the strongest signal around egg consumption, particularly food prepared outside the home. Importantly, the investigation has found no identified link to UK-produced eggs or poultry.

The Food Standards Agency says investigations have instead identified potential links to eggs imported from outside the UK, mainly supplied to restaurants, cafés and other catering businesses. The definitive source is still being investigated.

What does that mean for eggs at Better Food?

All the eggs we sell come from British farms.

Our loose free-range eggs are supplied by The Good Egg Company at Paxcroft Farm in Wiltshire, which works with a network of local farms to maintain its supply of British free-range eggs. These eggs are produced under the Laid in Britain assurance scheme, covering food safety, animal welfare, egg quality and farm traceability.

Our organic eggs are supplied by Orchard Organic Farm and The Good Egg Company. Organic standards require hens to have outdoor access, more space and certified organic, non-GMO feed, alongside the requirements of certified organic production.

Every egg is also stamped with a producer code, providing traceability back to the farm it came from.

What is the official advice?

The FSA has been clear that its advice on eating eggs hasn’t changed. It states that UK-produced eggs carrying the British Lion mark or produced under the Laid in Britain scheme are safe to eat.

For most people, this includes eating them raw or lightly cooked. The FSA also says young children, older people, pregnant people and those with underlying health conditions can eat raw or lightly cooked hen eggs when they carry the British Lion mark or are produced under the Laid in Britain scheme. This advice does not extend to people who are severely immunocompromised and following medically supervised diets.

The current outbreak is a useful reminder of something we’ve always considered important at Better Food: knowing where your food comes from matters. In this case, British sourcing, farm-level traceability and recognised assurance schemes.

Read the latest Food Standards Agency advice