Let’s talk about eggs in Panettone and Pandoro

As is well known, in the production of Panettone and Pandoro, there are precise rules established by Italian legislation, which protects them as “traditional products”. The reference law is D.M. July 22, 2005 (published in the Official Gazette no. 177 of August 1, 2005), entitled: “Regulation on the production and sale of certain bakery products typical of the Italian tradition”.

Summary

In the production of Panettone and Pandoro, the minimum quantities of eggs and/or yolks, as well as their quality, are set as a percentage of the flour:

• Quantity: hens’ eggs of Category «A» or egg yolk, or both, in quantities ensuring no less than 4% yolk;
• Quality: the eggs must be Category «A» and may be used either in shell or in brik (provided that they are made from fresh eggs).

Details

The above-mentioned D.M. July 22, 2005, with particular reference to eggs, specifies in its technical annex that for Panettone and Pandoro only fresh hens’ eggs or egg yolk (or both) must be used, in quantities ensuring no less than 4% yolk.

Complementing Italian and European legislation is the definition of “fresh egg”, regulated by Reg. (EC) 589/2008 (implementing Reg. 1234/2007) and by Legislative Decree 267/2003.

Fresh eggs, also known as Category «A» eggs, are:

• not washed;
• not artificially refrigerated below 5 °C;
• not treated;
• to be used within 21 days from laying.

In the past, based on this definition, it was believed that the legislation expressly prohibited the use of powdered eggs/yolks or eggs and/or yolks packaged in brik.

Recent clarifications

With the circular of September 18, 2024, the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) clarified that:

• pasteurized egg products (eggs and/or yolks in brik) may be declared “fresh” if obtained from Category «A» eggs;
• in all other cases, they must simply be labeled as “eggs”.

This therefore gives the green light to the use of eggs and/or yolks in brik in the production of Panettone and Pandoro.

References

The circular was published in the Official Gazette, General Series no. 234/2024, entitled: “Guidelines on the declaration of the quantity of ingredients and further information for the correct application of the provisions concerning the labeling of certain food products”.

The Guidelines were developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture and replace previous ministerial circulars (no. 165/2000, no. 167/2001, no. 168/2003, no. 168/bis/2004) concerning the application of Legislative Decree 109/92 and subsequent amendments.