"There is no link to those eggs to this current outbreak."
Vulnerable people are being warned to avoid under-cooked or runny eggs when eating out amid a developing salmonella outbreak.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised under-fives, over-65s, pregnant women and people with certain health conditions to avoid them.
The warning also applies to freshly made foods containing uncooked eggs, including mayonnaise, soufflé and hollandaise sauce.
However, the FSA said well-cooked eggs served in restaurants, cafés and takeaways remain safe to eat.
The advice follows a national salmonella outbreak declared by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
More than 200 cases have been linked to the outbreak, with the majority reported across England. One person has also died.
Imported eggs or dishes containing them are thought to be behind the outbreak.
Genetic testing suggests the infections are part of the same outbreak. There are also similarities with previous outbreaks involving imported eggs.
Investigations into individual cases suggest some of the eateries involved were buying eggs from abroad.
FSA chief scientific adviser Ian Young said: “If people are eating out or consuming eggs or egg-containing products from cafes and restaurants, then for those people in particular who are young, elderly, pregnant or vulnerable, it’s important to make sure that any eggs or egg products that you consume in those settings have been very well cooked.”
Young described the outbreak as “unusually large and rapidly increasing” and added that “people need to be careful”.
He also reiterated that people can safely buy British eggs from supermarkets.
Chickens bred in Britain are vaccinated against common strains of salmonella. Young said there was no connection between those eggs and the current outbreak.
He added: “There is no link to those eggs to this current outbreak.”
However, the British Egg Industry Council has said British eggs remain safe to eat when runny.
Mark Williams, chief executive of the British Egg Industry Council, said British Lion eggs were widely available in restaurants and cafés:
“Customers who want to enjoy a runny egg should simply ask whether British Lion eggs are being used.”
Salmonella is a family of bacteria that typically lives in the digestive tracts of animals.
These include cattle, pigs and chickens, which is why eggs and poultry are commonly associated with salmonella infections.
People can contract salmonella by eating contaminated food that has not been properly cooked.
They can also become infected through cross-contamination after raw and cooked food are mixed in kitchens.
Contact with infected animals can also lead to infection.
Symptoms can include stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. Most people recover without needing further medical treatment.
However, older people, babies and those with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe illness.
People who develop severe disease may require hospital treatment, including fluids and, in some cases, antibiotics.
Anyone concerned about possible salmonella symptoms is advised to contact their GP or an out-of-hours service first.
