FSIS is announcing the availability of its revised Food Safety Guideline for Egg Products. The guideline contains information to assist plants producing egg products that undergo pasteurization, heat treatment, cooling, freezing, or enzyme-modification in complying with FSIS regulatory requirements. FSIS updated the guideline to address questions it received after publishing the previous version and to include additional scientific information.
DATES:
Submit comments on or before July 6, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
FSIS invites interested persons to submit comments on the guideline. Comments may be submitted by one of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: This website provides commenters the ability to type short comments directly into the comment field on the web page or to attach a file for lengthier comments. Go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions at that site for submitting comments.
- Mail: Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mailstop 3758, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
- Hand- or Courier-Delivered Submittals: Deliver to 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 350-E, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
Instructions: All items submitted by mail or electronic mail must include the Agency name and docket number FSIS-2024-0026. Comments received in response to this docket will be made available for public inspection and posted without change, including any personal information, to https://www.regulations.gov.
Docket: For access to background documents or comments received, call (202) 286-2255 to schedule a time to visit the FSIS Docket Room at 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700.
A downloadable version of the guideline is available at https://www.fsis.usda.gov/policy/fsis-guidelines.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
April Regonlinski, Assistant Administrator, Office of Policy and Program Development, FSIS, USDA; Telephone: (202) 205-0495.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On October 29, 2020, FSIS published the final rule "Egg Products Inspection Regulations" (85 FR 68640). Among other things, the final rule required official egg products plants to comply with sanitation and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) requirements in 9 CFR parts 416 and 417. Anticipating that egg products plants might need assistance in complying with the new rule and its requirements, FSIS developed and published the "Food Safety Guideline for Egg
Products" on September 9, 2020 (85 FR 68640).
FSIS has made the following changes to the guideline to address questions it received after publishing the previous version and to include additional scientific information:
- Included guidance on plant support for sanitation standard operating procedures (sanitation SOPs), including less-than-daily (LTD) sanitation;
- Added Bacillus cereus as an example of a potential hazard in egg products that undergo enzyme modification;
- Included a section on cooking egg products in lieu of pasteurization;
- Revised language, structure, and formatting to improve readability.
The revised guideline represents FSIS' current thinking on these topics and should be considered usable as of its issuance. The guideline does not create any new legal requirements or have the force and effect of law. It is only intended to provide clarity regarding existing regulations.
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