EGGS ARE SAFE FOR HUMAN: The Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxic Substances and Residues) Rules, 2011, ban the use of nitrofuran in poultry and egg production. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday reiterated that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption. FSSAI said, “In the country (…)
EGGS ARE SAFE FOR HUMAN: The Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxic Substances and Residues) Rules, 2011, ban the use of nitrofuran in poultry and egg production. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday reiterated that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption.
FSSAI said, “Eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption and recent claims linking eggs with risk of cancer are misleading, scientifically baseless, and unnecessarily creating panic among people.”
Reacting to media reports and social media posts alleging the presence of cancer-causing substances like nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) in eggs, FSSAI officials clarified that the use of nitrofuran at all stages of poultry and egg production is strictly prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxic Substances and Residues) Rules, 2011.
According to FSSAI, an additional maximum residue limit (EMRL) of 1.0 µg/kg for nitrofuran metabolites has been set for regulatory enforcement purposes only. FSSAI said, “This limit represents the minimum level that can be reliably detected by advanced laboratory methods and does not indicate that the substance is permitted for use.”
It states that detection of trace residues below the EMRL is not a food safety violation and poses no health risk.
FSSAI also stressed that India’s regulatory framework is in line with international practice.
The European Union and the United States also ban the use of nitrofuran in food animals and use reference points or guideline values as the only enforcement tools for action. FSSAI said, “Differences in numerical parameters among countries reflect differences in analytical and regulatory methods, not differences in consumer protection standards.”
Regarding public health concerns, FSSAI cited scientific evidence showing that there is no established causal relationship between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health outcomes in humans.
“No national or international health authority has linked regular egg consumption to an increased risk of cancer,” the authority reiterated.
Citing a report related to testing of a particular egg brand, officials said such findings are individual and batch-specific, often the result of inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and do not reflect the entire egg supply chain in the country. “It is scientifically incorrect to label eggs unsafe based on individual laboratory results,” the statement said.
FSSAI urged consumers to rely on sound scientific evidence and official advice, and reiterated that when eggs are prepared and consumed in accordance with food safety norms, they remain a safe, nutritious and valuable part of a balanced diet.
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