Perfection with regards to quality is our first and foremost priority. Although eggs are one of the safest foods designed to naturally protect its contents from harmful bacteria by having a hard calcium shell, two membrane layers and natural antimicrobials in the egg yolk, we at TopLay go all out with regards to food safety. All pack stations have undertaken to ensure that every egg packed into our packaging is not only of the best quality but also of the safest.
We are also a certified and accredited supplier to some of the largest retailers in South Africa, who have trusted us with the packing and distribution of their Own Brand packs.
Our members are audited by an independent 3rd party auditing firm and audits are benchmarked against GFSI requirements. These audits are done at least on an annual basis.
Food safety does not stop with the suppliers, continuing with safe food preparation practices at home will ensure a healthier happier family. Food poisoning results from consuming foods that contain enough harmful microorganisms or toxins to cause illness. Follow these easy steps to eliminate harmful bacteria and keep your family free from foodborne illnesses.
- CLEAN – Always wash hands, utensils, cutting boards and surfaces when switching tasks. i.e. handling raw meat and preparing vegetables. Wash all fruit and vegetables before you peel and/or cut. Proper hand wash can eliminate nearly half of all foodborne illnesses.
- CHILL – Cold temperatures prevent most bacteria from increasing. Use the 2-hour rule. Refrigerate or freeze all perishables within 2 hours of purchasing. Eggs should be chilled and never frozen.
- SEPARATE – Make sure to keep raw meat/seafood/poultry separate from each other and other foods during storage and preparations. Store eggs in their original carton to ensure they do not absorb other flavours and odours from other foods. Keep foods covered.
- COOK – Cook your food to its proper food temperature. Serve cooked eggs or egg-rich foods immediately after they have been cooked or refrigerate immediately and serve within 2-3 days.
See below the recommended storage chart:
Fridge | Freezer |
|
|---|---|---|
Ground meats/poultry, fresh seafood | 1 day | 2-3 months |
Variety meats (e.g. liver, kidneys) | 1-2 days | 3-4 months |
Stew meats, ribs, stir fry strips, kebabs | 2 days | 3-6 months |
Whole chicken/turkey or pieces | 2-3 days | 6-12 months |
Steaks, roasts, chops | 3 days | 8-12 months |
Cooked packed roast/steaks | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
Vacuum packed roast/steaks | See pkg date | 10-12 months |
Fresh shell eggs | See best before date |
A great deal of attention is being paid to Food Safety; and at TopLay Eggs it is no different. But, for those not in the food production industry, what exactly is food safety?
Food Safety is a systematic approach to identifying hazards that can reasonably occur during the production of food products and includes assessing all aspects of food production. This approach is based on conducting a hazard analysis and implementing control measures to prevent the identified hazards from occurring. A system for correcting of incidents is established and a full documented management system is implemented to monitor and verify the processes. The goal of this management system is to ensure that the product produced is safe for human consumption.
The system and audit requirements include relevant legislative, statutory and industry standard requirements
Adhering to the set legislation and regulations requires various procedures to be followed, building structures to be erected or improved to meet the criteria, staff training to be conducted and verification of processes by means of various quality control inspections and external microbiological and chemical analysis.
Our products are fully traceable which includes product traceability back to the source. All units have a recall procedure in place should a recall ever be necessary. This procedure is tested for effectiveness at least once per annum.
You as the consumer have the right to buy safe eggs and therefore insist on only buying eggs that have been produced at a Food Safety audited packstation. Most retailers have embraced food safety compliance as a pre-requisite to becoming an authorised supplier of eggs to their business.