TOI impact: TN govt orders probe into supply of cold-stored eggs for school mid-day meal programme

NAMAKKAL: Officials of the Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administrative Department (TSFSDAD) on Thursday began inspection of the cold storages of egg suppliers in Namakkal district on Thursday. The Tamil Nadu social welfare and women empowerment department has taken swift action after TOI reported that contractors supplying eggs for the PTMGR (Puratchi Thalaivar MG Ramachandran) Nutritious Meal Programme had stocked nearly 20 crore eggs in cold storage facilities in the district.

In a letter dated May 27, secretary to govt M Pallavi Baldev directed the health and family welfare department to initiate inspections through the commissionerate of food safety. TSFSDAD and animal husbandry department officials have been instructed to verify the storage premises along with ICDS and social welfare department officials, and to submit a detailed report.

The TOI report highlighted how eggs procured at a lower market rate of Rs 3.70 per piece in March were stored for months, while the govt continues to pay Rs 5.63 per piece throughout the year.

Activists and food safety experts have warned that prolonged refrigeration could compromise nutritional value and expose children to bacterial contamination, including E. coli, staphylococcus and salmonella. Parents have expressed concern that the very purpose of the mid-day meal scheme -- providing fresh, wholesome food -- is being undermined. Suppliers, however, defend the practice as an economic necessity, citing volatile market conditions and the need to maintain supply consistency.

Advocate and activist Poomozhi, who first blew the whistle on the issue, cautioned that inspections alone won’t be enough. “The officials concerned should inspect and monitor the eggs movement in the upcoming days. Following this news report, the suppliers may sell fresh eggs to cheat the officials. However, they may sell the cold stored eggs after the issues are sorted out,” he said. He urged authorities to keep a close watch on whether suppliers distribute genuinely fresh eggs or quietly push stored ones into the system once scrutiny subsides.

Former state president BJP K Annamalai has urged officials to treat the issue with utmost seriousness, stressing that the health of students must be the primary concern. “This is not merely a procurement issue; it directly concerns the wellbeing of lakhs of schoolchildren,” he said, calling for transparent monitoring and strict enforcement of food safety standards.