The rule applies to egg producers having 50,000 or more laying hens and requires compliance with measures including refrigeration during egg storage and transportation. Large-scale egg producers who do not engage in direct sales and entities which transport or hold shell eggs must also comply with refrigeration requirements.
Producers with fewer than 50,000, but more than 3,000 hens must comply with the new rule by July 9, 2012. The rule does not apply to producers who sell all of their eggs directly to consumers or producers having less than 3,000 hens.
The FDA and USDA implemented post-production safety measures in the 1990s, but the new requirements are intended to prevent initial contamination.
To read the FDA press release, click here.
For the full text of the final rule, click here.
Posted: 07/14/2010
