Fans of Boichik Bagels’ beloved Egg and Eggything bagels have only a few days left to stock up.
The Berkeley-based bagel store announced in a social media post that it will discontinue the two egg bagels after June 21.
In an Instagram post on June 16, Boichik Bagels described the move as “an Egg-cellent Farewell,” telling customers that the decision followed “a lot of thought (and a few feelings).”
The company encouraged fans to stock up and “fill the freezer” with the egg-based bagels before the final batches sell out.
Boichik Bagels did not disclose the reason behind the indefinite discontinuation of the two bagel variants.
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However, SFGATE reported that the decision stemmed from federal food-safety requirements surrounding egg allergens and equipment sanitation.
A recent federal health inspection found that Boichik’s current production system does not separate egg-containing products from non-egg products that are sold through its wholesale operation, the report said, citing Boichik Bagels’ Founder and CEO Emily Winston.
Eggs are recognized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as one of the country’s major food allergens.
Under FDA guidance, food manufacturers are expected to prevent allergen cross-contact, which can happen when allergen-containing foods are produced on shared equipment that has not been sufficiently cleaned between production runs.
According to the agency’s guidance, allergen cross-contact may occur through shared production lines, and processing equipment and utensils.
To prevent cross-contact of allergens, the FDA recommends steps such as dedicated equipment, segregation of allergen-containing products, or validated cleaning procedures to reduce the risk.
Boichik’s specialized bagel-making equipment makes the required level of cleaning difficult, Winston told SFGATE.
Health inspectors told Winston that all equipment must be taken apart and cleaned with detergent and disinfectant, according to the report.
Stating that some of the equipment is not meant to be cleaned daily, Winston said there could be remnants of egg dough deep within the machine that may have escaped daily cleaning.
Winston said the company’s traditional bagel-making process uses shared proofing boards, kettles, ovens, and other equipment for all varieties.
Maintaining a separate production line for egg bagels that comply with federal norms would require a considerable amount of additional space, labor, and investment, according to the report.
According to SFGATE, Egg and Eggything bagels represent less than 20% of Boichik’s overall production, making the necessary changes difficult to justify.
Boichik’s egg bagel variants are a popular pick among customers, with very few eateries making them in San Francisco, the report noted.
For now, the company says there are no immediate plans to bring the products back.
Reminding customers to grab the last few pieces before Boichik permanently retires the variants, the company wrote on Instagram: “No dramatic farewell tour. No surprise comeback announcements (probably).”
Boichik has 10 stores in the Bay Area and two in Los Angeles.
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