Assessing the risk of the shelf life of table eggs

In 2022, the EU introduced a change that requires table eggs to be labeled with a shelf life date that does not exceed 28 days from laying, while the practice in Norway was 35 days. Although this change has not yet been incorporated into Norwegian law, Norwegian businesses must follow the new requirement due to the EEA agreement.

Norway has a Salmonella guarantee for table eggs, and annual checks show a very low incidence of salmonella in Norwegian poultry. Therefore, Norway believes that the shelf life of eggs should be longer in countries with low salmonella incidence. In principle, Norway believes that the food producer should determine the shelf life of eggs, in line with the practice for other products.

Today, the EU regulations are the same for all EU/EEA countries, but Norway and Iceland are working to include an adaptation text that allows for exceptions.

The main reason from the EU Commission for not allowing producer assessment of shelf life is the risk of Salmonella Enteritidis.

Project group

Taran Skjerdal, Marina Aspholm, Mette Myrmel, Trond Møretrø, Morten Tryland, Yngvild Wasteson, Barbara Bukhvalova.

The assessment will be approved by VKM's Panel on Biological Hazards and is scheduled to be completed in January 2026.