The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Saturday rejected claims linking egg consumption to cancer risk, saying such reports are misleading, lack scientific backing and risk creating unnecessary public alarm.
In a clarification issued amid media reports and social media posts alleging the presence of carcinogenic substances in eggs sold in India, the food safety regulator said eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption.
FSSAI said claims about detection of nitrofuran metabolites, including AOZ, are not supported by scientific evidence.
The authority said the use of nitrofurans is strictly banned at all stages of poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
It explained that the Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit of 1.0 microgram per kg prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites is meant only for regulatory enforcement and reflects the lowest level that can be reliably detected by modern laboratory methods. It does not indicate that the substance is permitted for use.
FSSAI officials clarified that detection of trace residues below the prescribed limit does not amount to a food safety violation and does not pose any health risk.
The regulator said India’s food safety framework is aligned with international practices, noting that the European Union and the United States also prohibit nitrofurans in food-producing animals and use reference values solely as enforcement tools.
Differences in numerical benchmarks across countries, the authority said, stem from variations in analytical and regulatory approaches rather than differences in consumer safety standards.
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Citing available scientific evidence, FSSAI said there is no established causal link between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health effects in humans.
The regulator also addressed reports related to testing of a particular egg brand, stating that such findings are isolated and batch-specific, often linked to inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and do not reflect the overall egg supply chain in the country.
Generalising isolated laboratory results to label eggs as unsafe is scientifically incorrect, it added.
Urging consumers to rely on verified scientific evidence and official advisories, FSSAI reiterated that eggs remain a safe, nutritious and valuable component of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in compliance with food safety regulations.
