Srinagar, Dec 20: A social media storm tried to scramble breakfast landing eggs in hot water until facts cooled the panic.
India’s food regulator, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), on Saturday said cancer claims around eggs had no scientific basis and urged people to ignore viral panic and keep eggs on their plates.
The FSSAI cleared eggs of all suspicions regarding their carcinogenicity, declaring them “scientifically unsupported”.
It said eggs remain a safe and essential part of a healthy diet. The official statement released today by the regulatory body advised people to dismiss alarmist rumours and continue incorporating eggs into their meals.
The controversy erupted earlier this month with social media posts and unverified videos alleging traces of antibiotic residues and metabolites, including nitrofuran, in eggs. The reports said, this could lead to cancer.
A prominent brand, Eggoz, was accused of using banned substances in its poultry birds that led to “dangerous residues in eggs”.
FSSAI’s response comes just over a week after the controversy and states that nitrofurans are strictly prohibited at all stages of production in poultry and eggs under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
“These claims are misleading and lack any scientific basis,” FSSAI said. “Eggs sold in India comply with stringent safety standards, and there is no evidence from national or international health bodies linking moderate egg consumption to increased cancer risk.”
FSSAI’s Egg Safety Drive has been initiated to enhance testing protocols and ensure compliance with food standards.
This involves random sampling from farms, markets, and processing units across states.
In J&K, the Food Safety Department has also taken samples from various outlets and the supply chain and sent them for testing to labs.
The reports are yet to come.
The drive includes checks for banned antibiotics, pesticides, and other contaminants.
In addition, proper cooking of eggs through boiling, frying, or scrambling to at least 74 degrees Celsius eliminates any potential bacterial risks like Salmonella.
Back home, in Kashmir, experts swear by the nutritional value of eggs.
Dr Saima Hakim, a nutritionist, said, “People, children, the elderly, and everyone else must consume eggs as they are a great source of high-quality protein and other essential nutrients.”
She said eggs are an affordable source of protein, and a single medium egg provides approximately 6.4 gm of complete protein.
It contains all nine essential amino acids needed for muscle repair, immune function, and growth.
Dr Saima said eggs are also rich in vitamins such as B12 for nerve health, D for bone strength, and A for vision.
“Eggs also contain minerals like selenium, phosphorus, and iron,” she said. “Rare nutrients like choline, which supports brain development and liver function, and lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that protect eye health, are also found in eggs.”
