FSSAI Ends Scramble Over Egg Cancer Row: Calls Claims 'Misleading, Scientifically Unsupported'

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a comprehensive clarification on Saturday, December 20, 2025, reassuring the public that eggs sold across the country are entirely safe for human consumption. The national food regulator moved swiftly to debunk a wave of media reports and social media posts that claimed eggs contained carcinogenic substances, specifically nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ). FSSAI labelled these assertions as misleading, scientifically unsupported, and a source of unnecessary public panic, reiterating that no national or international health authority has ever established a causal link between normal egg consumption and an increased risk of cancer.

At the centre of the controversy was a recent report involving

a batch of eggs from a popular brand, Eggoz, which allegedly showed trace residues of nitrofurans—a group of antibiotics banned in food-producing animals. FSSAI officials clarified that under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited at every stage of poultry production, including animal feed. Earlier in the week, the regulator had already directed its regional offices to conduct nationwide sampling of both branded and unbranded eggs to ensure compliance and maintain transparency in the food supply chain.

Technical details provided by the regulator explained that an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 μg/kg is prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites, but this exists solely as a benchmark for regulatory enforcement. This limit represents the minimum level detectable by advanced laboratory equipment and is not a safety threshold that permits the drug’s use. FSSAI emphasised that detecting trace residues below this EMRL does not constitute a food safety violation nor does it imply a health hazard to humans. This framework is aligned with international standards used in the European Union and the United States, where such values are used as “action triggers” rather than indicators of unsafe food.

Addressing the specific reports of contamination in one brand, FSSAI noted that isolated laboratory findings are often batch-specific and can result from inadvertent contamination or specific feed factors. The regulator warned that generalising such outliers to label the entire country’s egg supply as unsafe is scientifically incorrect. FSSAI concluded its statement by urging consumers to rely on science-backed advisories rather than alarmist digital content, maintaining that eggs remain a vital, nutrient-dense component of a balanced diet.