NEW DELHI, Dec 20: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday clarified that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption and that recent claims linking egg consumption to cancer risk are misleading, scientifically unsupported and likely to create unnecessary public panic.
Responding to reports and social media posts alleging the presence of carcinogenic substances such as nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) in eggs, FSSAI stated that the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited in poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. The prescribed Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 µg/kg exists only for regulatory enforcement and reflects the minimum detectable level, not permissible usage.
FSSAI emphasized that detection of trace residues below the EMRL does not pose any health risk. It added that India’s standards align with global practices followed by the EU and the US. Citing scientific evidence, the authority reiterated that no national or international health body has established any link between normal egg consumption and cancer.
Consumers were advised to rely on official advisories, with FSSAI affirming that eggs remain a safe and nutritious food.
