Eggs safe for consumption, cancer risk allegations misleading, FSSAI states

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Saturday (December 20, 2025) stated that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption. The authority warned that recent claims linking eggs to cancer risk are misleading, scientifically unsupported and capable of creating unnecessary public alarm, according to news reports.

FSSAI was responding to social media posts and reports alleging the presence of carcinogenic substances such as nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) in eggs. Officials clarified that the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited at all stages of poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.

The authority added that scientific evidence indicates no established causal link between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health outcomes in humans. “No national or international health authority has associated normal egg consumption with increased cancer risk,” FSSAI reiterated.

FSSAI also explained that an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 µg per kg has been prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites solely for regulatory enforcement purposes. “Detection of trace residues below the EMRL does not constitute a food safety violation nor does it imply any health risk,” an official said, as per the news report.

The authority emphasised that India’s regulatory framework aligns with international practices. The European Union and the United States also prohibit nitrofurans in food-producing animals and use reference points for action or guideline values only as enforcement tools. Officials said differences in numerical benchmarks across countries reflect variations in analytical and regulatory approaches, not differences in consumer safety standards.

Addressing reports on a specific egg brand, FSSAI said such detections are isolated and batch-specific, often caused by inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and are not representative of the overall egg supply chain. “Generalising isolated laboratory findings to label eggs as unsafe is scientifically incorrect,” the clarification stated.

FSSAI urged consumers to rely on verified scientific evidence and official advisories, adding that eggs remain a safe, nutritious and valuable component of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in compliance with food safety regulations.