Suhail Khan
New Delhi, Dec 20: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a definitive clarification on Saturday, asserting that eggs available in the domestic market are “entirely safe” for consumption. The national food regulator formally dismissed recent allegations linking egg consumption to cancer as “misleading and lacking scientific basis.”
The statement as per this newspaper comes in response to widespread reports and social media posts alleging the presence of carcinogenic nitrofuran metabolites in eggs, which the FSSAI said were causing “unnecessary public alarm.” The authority emphasized that the use of nitrofurans in poultry and egg production is strictly prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
Addressing technical concerns, the FSSAI explained that an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 microgram per kilogram has been set solely for regulatory enforcement. This threshold, it noted, represents the minimum level detectable by advanced laboratory methods and does not authorize the substance’s use.
“The detection of trace residues below the EMRL does not constitute a violation of food safety standards, nor does it indicate a health risk,” a senior FSSAI official stated. The authority warned against misinterpreting such analytical findings as evidence of unsafe food.
Aligning India’s stance with global norms, the FSSAI as per their newspaper highlighted that both the European Union and the United States prohibit nitrofuran use in food-producing animals and employ similar reference limits purely as enforcement benchmarks. Variations in numerical limits between countries, it clarified, stem from differences in analytical methodologies and regulatory frameworks, not from divergent safety objectives.
On the core issue of public health, the FSSAI cited scientific consensus, stating there is no established causal link between dietary exposure to trace levels of nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health effects. It added that no national or international health agency has associated regular egg consumption with an increased cancer risk.
Responding to reports focusing on a specific egg brand, the FSSAI as per Kashmir Convener described such detections as “isolated and batch-specific,” often resulting from inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors. These instances, it stressed, are not indicative of the safety of the broader national egg supply.
Reiterating its position, the FSSAI urged consumers to rely on verified scientific evidence and official communications. It concluded that eggs, produced and consumed in accordance with food safety regulations, remain a “safe, nutritious, and valuable component of a balanced diet.”
Earlier this month, the Jammu and Kashmir Food Safety Department launched a statewide sampling and testing operation. This move followed serious allegations by a ruling party legislator that a particular brand of eggs contained carcinogenic substances, sparking public concern and prompting governmental intervention.
The recent egg scare emerges against a backdrop of growing public scrutiny of food safety oversight. A series of incidents involving adulterated products has fueled perceptions that enforcement is often reactive—prompted by complaints or social media attention—rather than rooted in systematic, proactive surveillance.
Critics argue that regulatory departments must strengthen monitoring networks to prevent contaminated items from reaching consumers. “The public expects proactive oversight, not just reactionary raids,” noted observers on social media platforms.
These recurring concerns have raised fundamental questions about the integrity of supply chains and the efficacy of food safety regulation in the region.
Comments are closed.