Eggs, Salmonella and the British Lion Mark: What Do Pregnant Women and Parents Need to Know?
Recent headlines linking eggs with cases of Salmonella in the UK will understandably have caused concern, particularly amongst pregnant women and parents of babies and young children.
Eggs are a highly nutritious and versatile food, so does the recent Salmonella outbreak change what we should be doing?
The short answer is that we should not be frightened of eating eggs. What matters is where those eggs come from – and looking for the red British Lion mark provides an important and easily recognisable reassurance.
What has happened?
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Food Standards Agency (FSA) have been investigating several clusters of Salmonella Enteritidis. More than 500 confirmed cases have been identified in England across three clusters, including two reported deaths [1]. Many cases have been associated with eating at cafés, restaurants and takeaway businesses.
Investigations are continuing, but evidence suggests a potential association with imported eggs. Importantly, the FSA says there is currently no identified link to UK-produced eggs or poultry.
Salmonella typically causes diarrhoea, stomach cramps, fever and sometimes vomiting [2]. Most people recover without specific treatment, but infection can be more serious for vulnerable groups, including young children, pregnant women, older people and those with weakened immune systems.
Look for the British Lion
One of the simplest things consumers can do when buying eggs is look for the red British Lion stamped on the shell.
The British Lion scheme has stringent food-safety requirements, including vaccination of laying hens against Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium, alongside controls covering hygiene, traceability and biosecurity.
What about eggs during pregnancy?
Pregnant women do not need to avoid all eggs. Current NHS advice states that hen eggs carrying the British Lion stamp can be eaten well cooked, lightly cooked with a runny yolk or even raw, provided they are within their use-by date. British Lion eggs are considered very low risk for Salmonella [3].
So, if you are pregnant and enjoy a soft-boiled or poached egg with a runny yolk, you can continue to do so when British Lion eggs have been used.
And what about babies and young children?
Eggs can be introduced from around six months as part of complementary feeding and provide valuable nutrients, including high-quality protein, iron and zinc.
NHS guidance says babies and young children can eat British Lion hen eggs lightly cooked – and even raw in foods such as homemade mayonnaise [4]. Eggs without the British Lion should be cooked until both the white and yolk are solid.
For people with a severely weakened immune system, NHS guidance is more cautious and advises cooking all eggs thoroughly.
Don't be afraid to ask when eating out
The recent outbreak also highlights something we perhaps think about less often: where the eggs used in cafés and restaurants come from.
At home, we can check the box and shell. When somebody else prepares our food, that information is less obvious. If you're pregnant or ordering food for a young child, it is perfectly reasonable to ask: “Do you use British Lion eggs?”
This is particularly useful when ordering dishes containing lightly cooked eggs, such as poached or fried eggs with runny yolks, scrambled eggs, hollandaise sauce or homemade mayonnaise.
If the restaurant cannot confirm that British Lion or equivalently assured eggs have been used, choosing a dish in which the egg is thoroughly cooked is the more cautious option.
Eggs remain an important food
It would be unfortunate if recent headlines led pregnant women and parents to unnecessarily remove eggs from their diets.
Eggs are affordable, nutrient dense and versatile, providing high-quality protein alongside a range of important micronutrients.
The message therefore isn't “avoid eggs”. It is much simpler:
When food shopping, look for the red British Lion mark on the shell and box. When eating out, particularly during pregnancy or when feeding young children, don't be afraid to ask where the eggs have come from.
A small red logo – and one simple question – can provide considerable reassurance.
Related references:
[1] UK Health Security Agency (2026) Salmonella outbreak update. UKHSA, alongside the Food Standards Agency and other public health partners, continues to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella in the UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/salmonella-outbreak-update?
[2] UK Health Security Agency (2026) What is Salmonella, and how can you keep safe in an outbreak? Available at: https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/08/24/what-is-salmonella-and-what-can-you-do-to-avoid-catching-it/?
[3] NHS (2026) Foods to avoid in pregnancy. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/?
[4] NHS (2026) Best Start in Life. From around 6 months. Find out what food to give your baby if they're around 6 months old and ready to start weaning, along with advice on texture, drinks and how to handle foods that can cause allergies. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/baby/weaning/what-to-feed-your-baby/from-around-6-months/?
Useful websites:
This article was supported by the British Egg Industry Council. The content of the insight has been written independently.
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