Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess technological and food safety practices of the egg products industry, and how these practices have changed over the past ten years.
Methods: We conducted a national survey of egg products plants (n = 57, response rate of 72%) using a multimodal approach, allowing respondents to choose between a paper or web survey, and contacting the plants using telephone, mail, and e-mail. The questionnaire asked about operational and sanitation practices, microbiological testing practices, food safety training for employees, and other food safety and marketing practices.
Results: The percentage of egg products plants using advanced pasteurization technologies and an integrated, computerized processing system increased by almost 30 percentage points since 2004. Although a written HACCP plan is not currently required, 93% of plants have one for at least one production step. Plants have an average of 6 employees with formal HACCP training, and 90% of plants have management employees trained in HACCP. Most plants (93%) conduct voluntary microbiological testing. Plants that conduct microbiological testing before pasteurization increased by almost 30 percentage points since 2004. The largest increase in testing was for Listeria species, with a 21 percentage point increase from 2004 to 2014.
Significance: The results of the nationwide survey, and their comparison to a previous survey conducted in 2004, indicate advances in food safety technologies and practices employed in egg products plants. The study findings can identify areas in which improvements are needed, as well as guide regulatory policy making and inform regulatory impact analysis.