Eggs Safe to Eat; Cancer Risk Allegations Unscientific and Misleading, Says FSSAI

New Delhi- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday firmly dismissed recent claims linking eggs to cancer risk, stating that eggs available across the country are safe for human consumption and that allegations of carcinogenic contamination are misleading and unsupported by science.

Responding to a spate of media reports and social media posts alleging the presence of nitrofuran metabolites—particularly AOZ, a substance classified as carcinogenic—in eggs, the national food regulator said such claims were capable of causing unnecessary public panic. FSSAI clarified that there is no scientific basis to suggest that consumption of eggs poses any health risk.

Officials explained that the use of nitrofurans is strictly banned at every stage of poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011. To support regulatory monitoring, an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 microgram per kilogram has been prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites. This threshold, the authority emphasised, exists solely for enforcement and analytical detection purposes and does not imply that the substance is permitted for use.

“The EMRL represents the lowest level that modern laboratory techniques can reliably detect. Detection of residues below this limit neither constitutes a food safety violation nor indicates any health hazard,” an FSSAI official said.

The regulator further noted that India’s food safety standards are in line with global best practices. Countries such as those in the European Union and the United States also prohibit nitrofuran use in food-producing animals and rely on reference values or action points strictly as regulatory tools. Variations in numerical limits across jurisdictions reflect differences in testing and enforcement frameworks, not disparities in consumer safety.

On the issue of cancer risk, FSSAI cited scientific evidence indicating that there is no established causal relationship between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health effects in humans. The authority reiterated that no national or international health body has linked normal egg consumption with an increased cancer risk.

Addressing reports concerning laboratory findings in specific egg brands, officials clarified that such cases are isolated and batch-specific, often linked to inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors. These instances, they said, do not reflect the overall safety of the egg supply chain in India.

“Drawing broad conclusions from isolated test results and labelling eggs as unsafe is scientifically incorrect,” the regulator stated.

FSSAI urged consumers to depend on verified scientific data and official advisories rather than unverified claims. Reaffirming its position, the authority said eggs continue to be a safe, nutritious, and important component of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in accordance with food safety regulations.

With inputs from IANS