Skip to main content
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Topics
  • Publications
  • Consultations
  • Contact

Translation help

Translate this page

Select a language

  • Arabic — عربي
  • Chinese (Simplified) — 中文简体
  • Chinese (Traditional) — 中文繁體
  • Dutch — Nederlands
  • Filipino — Filipino
  • French — Français
  • German — Deutsch
  • Hungarian — Magyar
  • Irish — Gaeilge
  • Italian — Italiano
  • Latvian — Latviešu
  • Lithuanian — Lietuvių kalba
  • Polish — Polski
  • Portuguese — Português
  • Romanian — Română
  • Russian — Русский
  • Slovak — Slovenčina
  • Spanish — Español
  • Ukrainian — Українська
  • Hygiene regulations for egg packers

    Topics:
    • Food, 
    • Complying with hygiene regulations

    All egg packers must comply with certain rules and regulations which govern the production of safe food. These regulations have their origins in European legislation and are designed to ensure consumers are protected by requiring food businesses adhere to them.

    Enforcement of food hygiene regulations

    Within the UK, the Food Standards Agency is known as the Central Competent Authority for implementing the Food Hygiene Regulations. This involves making food businesses aware of their legal responsibilities, providing guidance on complying with the regulations and also implementing a system of official controls such as inspections, audits and testing.

    In Northern Ireland, DAERA Agri-food Inspection Branch (AfIB) carries out this work on behalf of the Food Standards Agency. Within AfIB, the Egg Inspectorate Team carries out inspections and provides guidance on legislation relating to egg packers.

    As a food business it is important to keep in mind that the hygiene regulations are there to protect consumers, not to inconvenience food businesses. It is also worth remembering that the responsibility for meeting the legal requirements rests with the food business operator.

    Compliance with food hygiene regulations

    At the beginning of 2006 a package of new consolidated EU food hygiene regulations came into force. The regulation set out the responsibilities of food business operators, the required standards for premises, plant and product and the control systems to be applied to ensure compliance with this legislation. The regulations include:

    • Reg (EC) 852-2004 on hygiene of foodstuffs (as amended)
    • Reg (EC) 853-2004 laying down specific hygiene rules applicable to products of animal origin (as amended)
    • Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls

    • The Food Hygiene Regulations (NI) 2006 (as amended) provide for the execution and enforcement in Northern Ireland of the above Community regulations.

    As a food business it is important that you are familiar with the legislation and understand clearly what you are required to do to comply with it.

    Approval and registration of egg packers

    EU Hygiene legislation requires all food businesses to be either approved or registered.

    For guidance on whether your business needs to be registered or approved please contact AFIB inspectors listed below.

    If you need to be approved the AFIB inspector will provide you with the relevant application form for completion.

    To apply for registration please print form R006, or if making changes to an existing registration please print form R083 complete the relevant sections and return to:

    Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    Agri-food Inspection Branch
    Room 1018
    Dundonald House
    Upper Newtownards Road
    Belfast
    BT4 3SB

    AFIB contacts for egg packers

    Head of Egg Inspectorate

    John Martin
    Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    Agri-food Inspection Branch
    Room 1025
    Dundonald House
    Upper Newtownards Road
    Belfast
    BT4 3SB
    Tel: 028 9052 4095
    E-mail: john.martin@daera-ni.gov.uk

    Egg Inspectorate

    Mr Francis Kelly
    Crown Buildings
    36 Thomas Street
    Dungannon
    BT70 1HR
    Tel: 028 8775 4855
    E-mail: Francis.kelly@daera-ni.gov.uk

    Mrs Julie Glass
    Atek Building
    Edenaveys Industrial Estate
    Newry Road
    Armagh
    BT60 1NF
    Tel: 028 3752 9073
    E-mail: Julie.glass@daera-ni.gov.uk

    Related content

    • Hygiene regulations for milk and milk product handlers
    • Smarter Rules for Safer Food Package
    Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on X (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

    Department footer links

    • Crown copyright
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy
    • Cookies
    • Accessibility
    • The Northern Ireland Executive
    • The Executive Office
    • Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
    • Department for Communities
    • Department for Education
    • Department for the Economy
    • Department of Finance
    • Department for Infrastructure
    • Department for Health
    • Department of Justice
    • nidirect.gov.uk — the official government website for Northern Ireland citizens