Egg Products Inspection Act

A program to ensure wholesome shell eggs and egg products in the marketplace. Passed by Congress in 1970, the Egg Products Inspection Act is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and imposes specific inspection requirements for two categories of eggs – shell eggs and egg products.

The Act gives enforcement authority to the USDA and to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Under the Egg Products Inspection Act, plants that break, dry and process shell eggs into liquid, frozen or dried egg products must operate under the continuous inspection program of the USDA. (The law does not apply to food-manufacturing plants which prepare cooked eggs or other food products made with eggs or egg products, such as those which make mayonnaise, egg noodles and ice cream, for example.) An official inspector must be present at all times when eggs are being processed. The law applies to all egg-breaking plants, regardless of size, and to those selling products locally, across state lines and in foreign commerce.

Disposition of undesirable shell eggs is controlled to prevent their entering consumer food channels.

– See Egg Products, Grading, Restricted Eggs