News - Australian Eggs (2024)

FAQs

What is the egg issue in Australia? ›

For months, shoppers across Australia have grappled with low egg stocks at supermarkets. Outbreaks of avian influenza in Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT earlier this year — and the subsequent culling of about 1.8 million chickens — has led to major disruptions in egg supply chains.

Refrigeration is not the silver bullet that eliminates the risk of Salmonella in Australia because Salmonella risk reduction is multifactorial and complex and includes safe food handling techniques in the kitchen while preparing meals. Eggs are a fresh food product.

Poultry eggs are a critical source of protein, vitamins, and minerals for people worldwide; facing the current global egg shortage is a significant concern. The shortage results from various factors, including avian flu outbreaks, changes in consumer demand, and supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent Trends – Domestic Price of Eggs

IBISWorld expects the domestic price of eggs to increase 2.2% during 2023-24, to total 122.0 index points. The primary driver of this increase is rising inflation, which has increased the cost of production and necessitated a sharp increase in prices.

Is There a Salmonella Risk? The risk is low as Australia has strict food safety laws and strong state agencies with responsibility for regulating our food system. Egg farmers also do everything they can to supply safe, clean, and fresh eggs.

California is grappling with a severe bird flu outbreak in 2024, leading to significant egg shortages for the second consecutive year and causing price instability in stores.

Washing eggs can make it easier for bacteria to penetrate the porous shell. Dirty eggs should be thrown away. You cannot tell by sight or smell whether an egg is contaminated with bacteria. Any bacteria present on the outside of an egg can enter the egg through cracks in the shell, causing a potential health risk.

In Britain, and most other nations, they focus more on this type of threat, vaccinating all egg-laying hens to prevent them from transferring harmful bacteria to their eggs or feces. They do not wash their eggs, allowing the cuticle to remain intact, and making refrigeration unnecessary.

The main egg colour available in Australia is brown, although a small number of farms also sell white eggs. While many people assume brown eggs are more natural and therefore healthier, that's not the case. Brown hens lay brown eggs, white hens lay white eggs, and they both have the same nutritional profile.

The FDA recommends consuming hard-boiled eggs within a week, and two weeks is well past that deadline. Since spoiled hard-boiled eggs can make you sick, it's best to be safe and toss out any leftover hard-boiled eggs that have been in the fridge for more than one week.

Why are there no eggs in Norway? ›

A cut in supply – and external factors

More eggs being bought as ingredients in food production has led to a reduction in the number of eggs available on store shelves. Increased demand has also affected the situation.

Simply put, there is an egg shortage because of an unprecedented outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza that has killed tens of millions of egg-laying chickens nationwide. It's the deadliest outbreak of bird flu in the nation's history, leading to the slaughter of nearly 60 million chickens by the end of 2022.

Additionally, if you have a large family or use a lot of eggs in your cooking, then the cost savings may be more significant. However, if you're simply looking to save money on eggs, then it's likely that buying eggs from the store will be more cost-effective in the long run.

Egg shortage: why the avian influenza outbreak has left shoppers and farmers shell-shocked. The avian influenza outbreaks in south-eastern Australia have caused some gaps on supermarket shelves and prompted temporary buying limits. To date, most outbreaks have been confined to egg farms.

About 16% of Australian couples have problems with fertility. Fertility can be affected by: medical illness. age.

For one, it has been reported that roughly 7.5 million commercial layer hens have been culled during the recent bird flu epidemic that hit the nation. Assuming one hen lays around five or six eggs per week, the local market is then currently underproducing by as many as 45 million eggs per week.

However, they're considered high-risk when it comes to food poisoning, specifically when raw or undercooked. Salmonella in eggs is responsible for many of the foodborne illness cases in Australia. Bacteria can contaminate either the yolk, the white or the eggshell.

Consumers are entitled to trust free range claims by egg producers are truthful. Australian Consumer Law requires that any statement or representation made when advertising or selling eggs must not be misleading or deceptive, or likely to mislead or deceive. This includes claims that eggs are laid by free range hens.