{"id":"F2011L00860","name":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 4.2.5 – Primary Production and Processing Standard for Eggs and Egg Product","slug":"australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-5-primary-production-and-processing-standard-","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":86571,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2011L00860-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"(Australia only)","sectionType":"division","heading":"(Australia only)","content":"### (Australia only)\n\nPurpose and commentary\n\nThis Standard sets out a number of food safety requirements for the primary production and processing of eggs, egg pulp and other egg product for human consumption. At the primary production stage, businesses that produce eggs must implement measures to control the food safety hazards and must be able to trace their individual eggs for sale. Businesses that process eggs or egg product must control their food safety hazards and must be able to trace their individual eggs and the egg pulp. It is the responsibility of these businesses not only to comply with this Standard but also to be able to demonstrate compliance.\n\nTable of Provisions\n\nDivision 1 – Preliminary\n\n1 Application\n\n2 Interpretation\n\nDivision 2 – Primary production of eggs\n\n3 General food safety management\n\n4 Inputs\n\n5 Waste disposal\n\n6 Health and hygiene requirements\n\n7 Skills and knowledge\n\n8 Design, construction and maintenance of premises, equipment and transportation vehicles\n\n9 Bird health\n\n10 Traceability\n\n11 Sale or supply\n\nDivision 3 – Processing of eggs and egg pulp\n\n12 Application\n\n13 General food safety management\n\n14 Receiving unacceptable eggs\n\n15 Inputs\n\n16 Waste disposal\n\n17 Skills and knowledge\n\n18 Health and hygiene requirements\n\n19 Design, construction and maintenance of premises, equipment and transportation vehicles\n\n20 Traceability\n\n21 Processing egg product\n\n22 Storing and transport of processed egg product\n\n23 Sale or supply\n\nClauses","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"Division 1","sectionType":"division","heading":"Preliminary","content":"### Division 1 – Preliminary\n\n1 Application\n\nThis Standard does not apply to retail sale or catering activities other than the direct sale of eggs to the public by an egg producer.  \n\n2 Interpretation\n\n(1) Unless the contrary intention appears, and subject to Standard 4.1.1, the definitions in Chapter 3 of this Code apply in this Standard.\n\n(2) In this Standard –\n\n> cracked egg means an egg which has a cracked shell which is visible, or visible by candling or other equivalent methods, and includes a broken egg.\n\n> dirty egg means an egg that has visible faeces, soil or other matter on it.\n\n> egg means an egg from any avian (bird) species, except ratites.\n\n> egg producer means a business, enterprise or activity that involves the production of eggs, whether or not the business grades, packs, washes, candles or assesses for cracks, oils, pulps for supply to the processor for pasteurisation or stores or transports eggs or egg pulp.\n\n> egg processor means a business, enterprise or activity that involves –\n\n      (a) pulping, separating, grading, packing, washing, candling, assessing for cracks or oiling eggs received from an egg producer; or\n      (b) storing or transporting eggs in association with any of the activities in paragraph (a); or\n      (c) processing egg product under clause 21 of this Standard.\n\n> egg pulp means the contents of an egg, which may contain sugar or salt.\n\n> food safety management statement means a statement, which at a minimum, has been approved or recognised by the relevant authority and subjected to ongoing verification activities by an egg producer or egg processor and the relevant authority.\n\n> Note: Editorial note:\n\n> Note: ‘Authority’ is defined in Standard 4.1.1.\n\n> liquid egg white means the white of egg separated as effectively as practicable from the yolk in liquid form.\n\n> liquid egg yolk means the yolk of egg separated as effectively as practicable from the white in liquid form.\n\n> premises means an egg production premises or a processing premises.\n\n> unacceptable refers to unacceptable eggs.\n\n> unacceptable egg means –\n\n      (a) a cracked egg or a dirty egg; or\n      (b) egg product which has not been processed in accordance with clause 21; or\n      (c) egg product which contains a pathogenic micro-organism, whether or not the egg product has been processed in accordance with clause 21.\n\n> Note: Editorial note:\n\n> Note: Standard 1.1.2 defines ‘egg product’ as the contents of an egg in any form including egg pulp, dried egg, liquid egg white and liquid egg yolk.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"Division 2","sectionType":"division","heading":"Primary production of eggs","content":"### Division 2 – Primary production of eggs\n\n3 General food safety management\n\n(1) An egg producer must systematically examine all of its production operations to identify potential hazards and implement control measures to address those hazards.\n\n(2) An egg producer must also have evidence to show that a systematic examination has been undertaken and that control measures for those identified hazards have been implemented.\n\n(3) An egg producer must operate according to a food safety management statement that sets out how the requirements of this Division are to be or are being complied with.\n\n4 Inputs\n\nAn egg producer must take all reasonable measures to ensure inputs do not make the eggs unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n> Note: Editorial note:\n\n> Note: See the definitions of ‘safe’ and ‘suitable’ in Standard 3.1.1.\n\n> Note: See the definition of ‘inputs’ in Standard 4.1.1 which includes feed, water and chemicals used in or in connection with the primary production activity.\n\n5 Waste disposal\n\n(1) An egg producer must store, handle or dispose of waste in a manner that will not make the egg unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n(2) For subclause (1), waste includes sewage, waste water, used litter, dead birds, garbage and eggs which the proprietor, supervisor or employee of the egg producer knows, ought to reasonably know or to reasonably suspect, are unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n6 Health and hygiene requirements\n\n(1) A person involved in egg production must exercise personal hygiene and health practices that do not make the eggs unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n(2) An egg producer must take all reasonable measures to ensure that personnel and visitors exercise personal hygiene and health practices that do not make the eggs unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n7 Skills and knowledge\n\nAn egg producer must ensure that a person who engages in or supervises the primary production of eggs has –\n\n    (a) skills in food safety and food hygiene; and\n    (b) knowledge of food safety and food hygiene matters;\n\ncommensurate with their work.\n\n  \n\n8 Design, construction and maintenance of premises, equipment and transportation vehicles\n\nAn egg producer must –\n\n    (a) ensure that premises, equipment and transportation vehicles are designed and constructed in a way that minimises the contamination of the eggs, allows for effective cleaning and sanitisation, and minimises the harbourage of pests and vermin; and\n    (b) keep premises, equipment and transportation vehicles effectively cleaned, sanitised and in good repair to ensure the eggs are not made unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n9 Bird health\n\n(1) An egg producer must not obtain eggs for human consumption from birds if the proprietor, supervisor or employee of the egg producer knows, ought to reasonably know or to reasonably suspect, the bird is affected by disease or a condition that makes the eggs unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n(2) The definition of ‘condition’ in Standard 3.2.2 does not apply to this clause.\n\n10 Traceability\n\n(1) An egg producer must not sell eggs unless each individual egg is marked with the producers’ unique identification.\n\n(2) An egg producer who supplies egg pulp must mark each package or container containing the pulp with the producers’ unique identification.\n\n(3) Subclauses (1) and (2) do not apply to eggs or egg pulp sold or supplied to an egg processor (the supplied product) if that egg processor complies with clause 20 in respect of the supplied product.\n\n(4) In addition to subclauses (1) and (2), an egg producer must have a system to identify to whom eggs or egg pulp is sold or supplied.\n\n11 Sale or supply\n\n(1) An egg producer must not sell or supply eggs or egg pulp for human consumption if it knows, ought to reasonably know or to reasonably suspect, that the eggs are unacceptable.\n\n(2) Subclause (1) does not apply to an egg producer that sells or supplies unacceptable eggs to an egg processor for processing in accordance with clause 21.\n\n> Note: Editorial note:\n\n> Note: ‘Supply’ is defined in Standard 4.1.1 as including intra company transfers of product.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"Division 3","sectionType":"division","heading":"Egg Processing","content":"### Division 3 – Egg Processing\n\n12 Application of Food Safety Standards\n\nStandards 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 apply to processing under clause 21 and storage and transport under clause 22, but not to any other processing activities.\n\n13 General food safety management\n\n(1) An egg processor must systematically examine all of its processing operations to identify potential hazards and implement control measures to address those hazards.\n\n  \n\n(2) An egg processor must also have evidence to show that a systematic examination has been undertaken and that control measures for those identified hazards have been implemented.\n\n(3) An egg processor must operate according to a food safety management statement that sets out how the requirements of this Division are to be or are being complied with.\n\n14 Receiving unacceptable eggs\n\nAn egg processor must not receive unacceptable eggs for human consumption unless –\n\n    (a) in the case of dirty eggs, they are to be cleaned;\n    (b) in the case of cracked eggs, they are to be processed in accordance with clause 21; or\n    (c) in the case of egg pulp, the product is to be processed in accordance with clause 21.\n\n15 Inputs\n\nAn egg processor must take all reasonable measures to ensure inputs do not make the eggs or egg product unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n> Note: Editorial note:\n\n> Note: See Standard 4.1.1 for the definition of ‘inputs’.\n\n16 Waste disposal\n\n(1) An egg processor must store, handle or dispose of waste in a manner that will not make the eggs or egg product unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n(2) For subclause (1), waste includes sewage, waste water, unacceptable eggs or egg product and garbage.\n\n17 Skills and knowledge\n\nAn egg processor must ensure that persons undertaking or supervising the processing of eggs or egg product have –\n\n    (a) skills in food safety and food hygiene; and\n    (b) knowledge of food safety and food hygiene matters;\n\ncommensurate with their work.\n\n18 Health and hygiene requirements\n\n(1) A person involved in egg processing must exercise personal hygiene and health practices that do not make the eggs or egg product unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n(2) An egg processor must take all reasonable measures to ensure that personnel and visitors exercise personal hygiene and health practices that do not make the eggs or egg product unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n19 Design, construction and maintenance of premises, equipment and transportation vehicles\n\nAn egg processor must –\n\n    (a) ensure that premises, equipment and transportation vehicles are designed and constructed in a way that minimises the contamination of the eggs or egg products, allows for effective cleaning and sanitisation, and minimises the harbourage of pests and vermin; and\n    (b) keep premises, equipment and transportation vehicles effectively cleaned, sanitised and in good repair to ensure the eggs or egg products are not made unsafe or unsuitable.\n\n20 Traceability\n\n(1) An egg processor must not sell eggs unless each individual egg is marked with the processor’s or producer’s unique identification.\n\n(2) An egg processor must not sell or supply egg product unless each package or container containing the egg product is marked with the processor’s or the producer’s unique identification.\n\n(3) In addition to subclauses (1) and (2), an egg processor must have a system to identify –\n\n    (a) from whom eggs were or egg pulp was received; and\n    (b) to whom eggs or egg product was supplied.\n\n21 Processing egg product\n\n(1) An egg processor must process egg product by –\n\n    (a) pasteurising; or\n    (b) heating using any other time and temperature combination of equivalent or greater lethal effect on any pathogenic micro-organisms in the egg product; or\n    (c) using any other process that provides an equivalent or greater lethal effect on any pathogenic micro-organisms in the egg product.\n\n(2) For paragraph (1)(a), the egg product listed in Column 1 of the Table to this clause must be pasteurised to the time and temperature combinations in Column 2, Column 3 and Column 4.\n\n(3) A process described in paragraph 1(b) or (c), if used, must be validated by the egg processor.\n\n(4) In this clause –\n\n> validate means –\n\n      (a) confirming a control measure for a critical control point or process is effective to minimise a food safety hazard; and\n      (b) providing objective evidence to confirm paragraph (a).\n\nTable to clause 21\n\n| Column 1                             | Column 2                                      | Column 3                                    | Column 4                                                     |\n| ------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |\n| Egg product                          | Retention temperature to be no less than (oC) | Retention time to be no less than (minutes) | Maximum temperature to be immediately rapidly cooled to (oC) |\n| Egg pulp (without any sugar or salt) | 64                                            | 2.5                                         | ≤ 7                                                          |\n| Liquid egg yolk                      | 60                                            | 3.5                                         | ≤ 7                                                          |\n| Liquid egg white                     | 55                                            | 9.5                                         | ≤ 7                                                          |\n\nEditorial note:\n\nFor subclause 21(1), Standard 1.6.1 specifies microbiological limits for processed egg products for sale.\n\n22 Storage or transport of processed egg product\n\nA processor must ensure that egg product processed under clause 21 is stored or transported under time and temperature conditions that control the growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.\n\n23 Sale or supply\n\n(1) An egg processor must not sell or supply eggs or egg product for human consumption if the processor knows, ought to reasonably know or to reasonably suspect, that the eggs or egg product are unacceptable.\n\n(2) Subclause (1) does not apply to an egg processor that sells or supplies unacceptable eggs to an egg processor for processing in accordance with clause 21.\n\n(3) An egg processor must not sell liquid egg white or liquid egg yolk unless it is processed in accordance with clause 21.\n\n> Note: Editorial note:\n\n> Note: Schedule 9 requires unpasteurised egg products to be labelled with a statement that the product is unpasteurised.\n\n  \n\nAmendment History\n\nThe Amendment History provides information about each amendment to the Standard. The information includes commencement or cessation information for relevant amendments.\n\nThese amendments are made under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 unless otherwise indicated. Amendments do not have a specific date for cessation unless indicated as such.\n\nAbout this compilation\n\nThis is compilation No. 2 of Standard 4.2.5 as in force on 29 November 2018 (up to Amendment No. 182). It includes any commenced amendment affecting the compilation to that date.\n\nPrepared by Food Standards Australia New Zealand on 29 November 2018.\n\nUncommenced amendments or provisions ceasing to have effect\n\nTo assist stakeholders, the effect of any uncommenced amendments or provisions which will cease to have effect, may be reflected in the Standard as shaded boxed text with the relevant commencement or cessation date. These amendments will be reflected in a compilation registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments including or omitting those amendments and provided in the Amendment History once the date is passed.\n\nThe following abbreviations may be used in the table below:\n\nad = added or inserted am = amended\n\nexp = expired or ceased to have effect rep = repealed\n\nrs = repealed and substituted\n\nStandard 4.2.5 was published in the Food Standards Gazette No. FSC65 on 26 May 2011 (to take effect on 26 November 2012) (F2011L00860) and has been amended as follows:\n\n| Clause affected | A’ment No. | FRLI registrationGazette                 | Commencement(Cessation) | How affected | Description of amendment                 |\n| --------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------ | ---------------------------------------- |\n| 21              | 149        | F2014L0103729 July 2014FSC9131 July 2014 | 31 July 2014            | rs           | Editorial note following the clause.     |\n| Subclause 2(2)  | 182        | F2018L0159423 Nov 2018FSC12329 Nov 2018  | 29 Nov 2018             | am           | Editorial note following standard update |\n| Clause 23       | 182        | F2018L0159423 Nov 2018FSC12329 Nov 2018  | 29 Nov 2018             | am           | Editorial note following standard update |","sortOrder":3}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The compilation and amendment history show only editorial amendments recorded to date. The Standard remains focused on primary production and processing of eggs and egg products for human consumption, excluding most retail sale and catering except direct producer sales (clause 1). No substantive expansion or narrowing of the Standard’s scope is indicated in the supplied text."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple overlapping obligations across primary production and processing (hazard analysis, documented control measures, and operation under an approved food safety management statement) (clauses 3(1)–(3), 13(1)–(3)).","Per‑egg and per‑package traceability requirements, including marking each individual egg or pulp container with a unique producer/processor identification and maintaining buyer/supplier records (clauses 10(1)–(4), 20(1)–(3)).","Prescriptive processing standards with a mandatory time/temperature table for pasteurisation and a requirement to validate any alternative lethal processes (clauses 21(1)–(4) and Table to clause 21).","Cross‑references to other Code standards for definitions, microbiological limits and applicability (Standard 4.1.1, Standards 3.2.2, 3.2.3, and Standard 1.6.1) which increase interpretive burden (clause 2(1), clause 12, editorial notes).","Detailed operational requirements affecting facilities, equipment, transport, waste disposal, bird health, personnel skills and hygiene, all requiring ongoing maintenance and evidence (clauses 4–9, 15–19, 5, 6, 16, 17).","Exceptions and limited application (excludes most retail sale and catering; allows transfer of responsibility where supplied to compliant processors) that create conditional compliance pathways (clause 1; clauses 10(3), 11(2), 14, 23(2)).","Enforcement and verification expectations — businesses must be able to demonstrate compliance and, where validation is used, provide objective evidence (clauses 3(2), 13(2), 21(3)–(4)).","Administrative complexity from recordkeeping, marking, labelling obligations and potential requirement to rapidly cool processed product to specified temperatures (clauses 10, 20, 21(2), Table to clause 21, clause 22)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Standard imposes operational rules on egg producers and processors in Australia: require systematic hazard analysis, documented control measures, per‑egg traceability, hygiene and premises standards, waste controls, and specified pasteurisation/time‑temperature requirements for egg products. It applies to businesses producing or processing eggs for human consumption (not most retail/catering) and requires them to keep evidence and, where using alternative processes, validate those processes — shifting responsibility for safety, recordkeeping and verification onto producers and processors."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Standard appears to maintain its original scope as a primary production and processing standard for eggs. The amendment history shows only minor editorial updates and the addition of editorial notes, suggesting the core regulatory framework has remained stable since its 2011 introduction."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate cross-referencing to other Standards (4.1.1, 3.1.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 1.1.2, 1.6.1, Schedule 9)","15 defined terms in the interpretation section, some nested (e.g., 'unacceptable egg' has 3 sub-definitions)","Conditional exceptions throughout (e.g., clause 11(2) exempts sale of unacceptable eggs if to a processor; clause 10(3) exempts marking requirements if processor complies with clause 20)","Technical pasteurisation table with specific time-temperature combinations requiring precise compliance","Dual application structure with similar but slightly different requirements for producers vs processors creating potential for confusion","Validation requirements for alternative processing methods (clause 21(3)) requiring scientific verification"],"plain_english_summary":"This Standard sets national food-safety rules for Australian egg farms and processors, requiring hazard controls, hygiene, record-keeping and unique traceability markings so eggs and egg products can be tracked through the supply chain.  \n\nIt also requires processors to clean or pasteurise eggs destined for liquid products (with specific time–temperature treatments) and prohibits sale of unpasteurised liquid egg components—measures intended to reduce Salmonella and enable rapid response to contamination."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-5-primary-production-and-processing-standard-","history":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-5-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/history","analysis":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-5-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-5-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-5-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-4-2-5-primary-production-and-processing-standard-/documents"}}