Egg marking
Egg marking is the marking of eggs that are placed on the market, ie released to processing companies and consumers.
European Union
Especially for chicken eggs are since 2004 in the European Union accurate labeling rules that are part of the EU marketing standards for eggs. Graded eggs that are sold directly to the consumer by the producer must be marked since July 2005. Labeling intended to apply to unpacked and unsorted eggs, which are sold directly to the production site or at the door.
Producer code
The mounted on the eggs producer code, the consumer can see the following information:
- The type of farming of chicken,
- The country of origin of the egg,
- The identification of the holding, for example, a producer establishment and stall number.
For the identification of the operation of each member country sets its own system. Here in Germany the state is given by the first digits of the establishment of production and stall numbers. The award of the distinguishing numbers is for the competent authorities for the implementation of laying hens Register Act in the federal states.
The pictured to the right egg with the marking 0 -EN - 1344461 is an organic egg from Mecklenburg- Vorpommern and comes from the stable with the identification number 44461st The Austrian egg including dates from Burgenland Bodenhaltung with the number 126814th would be possible addition specifying the date of laying.
Farming
The digit in the first place indicates the type of chicken farming:
The individual forms of entertainment are clearly defined in the EC Regulation. The classification arises from ideas from the animal welfare and food monitoring. The legal situation is determined by the food labeling regulation ( LMKV ) and by EU legislation. In Germany the keeping of hens in battery cages is banned since 2010, EU-wide since 2012.
Country code
The letters in second and third place of the producer code to indicate the country of origin:
- AT = Austria
- BE = Belgium
- BG = Bulgaria
- CY = Cyprus
- CZ = Czech Republic
- DE = Germany
- DK = Denmark
- EE = Estonia
- ES = Spain
- FI = Finland
- FR = France
- GR = Greece
- HR = Croatia
- HU = Hungary
- IE = Ireland
- IT = Italy
- LT = Lithuania
- LU = Luxembourg
- LV = Latvia
- MT = Malta
- NL = the Netherlands
- PL = Poland
- PT = Portugal
- RO = Romania
- SE = Sweden
- SI = Slovenia
- SK = Slovakia
- UK = United Kingdom
Identification of the establishment
In Germany the first two digits after the country code for the State:
01 = Schleswig Holstein 02 = Hamburg 03 = Lower Saxony 04 = Bremen
05 = North Rhine -Westphalia 06 = Massachusetts 07 = Rhineland-Palatinate 08 = Baden- Württemberg
09 = Bavaria 10 = Saarland 11 Berlin = 12 = Brandenburg
13 = Mecklenburg- Vorpommern 14 = Saxony 15 = Saxony-Anhalt 16 = Thuringia
The following four characters indicate the producing operation. When operating with multiple stalls, the last digit refers to the respective stable.
The operation of his farm number ( LFBIS number) is identified in Austria.
Packaging
The eggs packaging are usually provided with labels that contain the class and code number of the packing center. Packing centers check the quality of eggs, divide eggs in grades one, sort them by weight and pack them. The packing center does not have a direct connection with the establishment of production. You can be in a country other than the origin are stable. A packing center is Europe identifiable by their pack number. The first two characters of the code identify the country in which the packing center is located. The other digits are determined by the competent authorities.
For the packing centers in Austria, the code number of the packing center is composed as follows:
AT
The following Federal land digits are defined:
1 = Burgenland 2 = Carinthia 3 = Lower Austria
4 = Upper Austria 5 = Salzburg 6 = Styria
7 = Tirol 8 = Vorarlberg 9 = Vienna
In addition, must be present, including the weight class, the expiry date and the Keep on packages with Class A eggs a number of other details. Says on the box 'extra' or 'extra fresh', the laying date must be specified in addition. Eggs may be marketed under this name only up to nine days after laying.
Optional information
Certain other information is governed voluntary but legally possible.
- Feeding the hens: Disclosure of cereal and quantity are possible
- Laying date: Where the laying date indicated on the packaging, it must also be printed on all eggs.
- Suggested Last sale date: For the information of the trade. ( Maximum of 21 days after the day of laying. )
Grades
Chicken eggs are divided into two classes, A and B according to the EU marketing standards for eggs. The retail usually sold only eggs of class A. The previously existing grade C 2004 has been merged with the B grade.
The text label " extra" or " extra fresh " may only be used for eggs of class to nine days after laying on packaging. The air chamber of eggs of class "A extra" must be less than 4 mm high.
Packaging with a red band and the label " industrial eggs " featuring eggs, which are intended for industrial processing.
Weight classes
Depending on the weight of chicken eggs are divided into four weight classes (formerly eight):
Meaningfulness
In 2013, there were indications that eggs mislabeled have come on the market in a big way. It eggs were identified as originating from organic, free-range, floor or cages, although they did not meet the necessary criteria because of overcrowding of chicken coops. Affected plants were mainly from Lower Saxony as well as from North Rhine -Westphalia and Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania as well as from the Netherlands and Belgium. There were initiated more than 100 investigations, some were set against payment of fines, some led to Strafbefehlen.
Switzerland
In Switzerland, the country of origin must be stamped on all the chicken eggs that are not delivered directly from the producer to the final consumer.
At least 53 g per egg Once permanently keep eggs chilled at 5 ° C a For sale until: 01.01.2013 Fri 7:20 Anton Bauer, Eierweg 2, 5432 Legeort
In addition, the producer must state:
- The product description, which, if it is not to chicken eggs, must contain the species, such as " duck eggs " or " pigeon eggs "
- The date of sale and, if unrefrigerated eggs, date of minimum durability or, at refrigerated eggs, the use-by date,
- The name and address of the producer, including the country of production,
- The retail price,
- Egg number and either the net weight or minimum weight per egg in grams,
- At refrigerated eggs a hint to the storage temperature,
- For imported eggs from caged hens, the message " from in Switzerland unauthorized caging ".
If a laying date specified, it must be clearly recognizable as such. When duck eggs with an instruction manual must be specified, for example, a notice " before serving cook at least 10 minutes! "
When eggs are sold loose, only the price must be stated in writing. The other information may be made orally.