Guidance

Assessing and grading eggs

Guidance for egg packers on grading eggs as Class A or Class B in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

From:
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published
4 March 2026

Documents

Egg quality standards guide

PDF, 1.69 MB, 50 pages

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Details

This guide aims to help egg packing centres, inspectors and quality assurance teams:

  • understand the criteria for assessing and grading eggs as Class A or Class B, including which eggs to remove to meet regulatory requirements
  • set up and audit grading processes (pre-candling and candling)
  • train staff
  • meet hygiene and handling rules

It includes photos and methods you can apply in practice.

It also explains where requirements differ between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

This guidance supports the law rather than replaces it.

Updates to this page

Published 4 March 2026

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