Eggs in India pose no cancer risk, says food safety regulator

NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) firmly rejected claims linking eggs to cancer risk, saying eggs sold in India are safe for consumption and that recent reports and social media posts are scientifically unsupported and alarmist.

Clarifying concerns over alleged presence of nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) - trace marker residues that may be detected in eggs following illegal use of banned nitrofuran antibiotics in poultry - the regulator said on Saturday that the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited at all stages of poultry and egg production under India's food safety regulations. Any suggestion that eggs contain cancer-causing substances, it said, is misleading.

FSSAI explained that the Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 g/kg for nitrofuran metabolites is set only as a regulatory detection threshold, not as a permissible level. "Trace detections below the EMRL do not amount to a food safety violation and do not pose a health risk," an official said.

The authority said India's standards are aligned with global practices, noting that the EU and the US also ban nitrofurans and use reference values solely for enforcement. Differences in numerical benchmarks reflect analytical methods, not safety standards.

On public health, FSSAI said there is no established causal link between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer, and no health authority worldwide has associated normal egg consumption with increased cancer risk.

Addressing reports tied to a specific egg brand, the regulator said such findings are isolated and batch-specific, often linked to inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and do not represent the overall egg supply chain. FSSAI urged consumers to rely on official advisories and scientific evidence, reiterating that eggs remain a nutritious and safe part of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in compliance with food safety norms.


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