India’s food safety regulator has launched a nationwide surveillance drive after a viral video raised concerns about the presence of a banned antibiotic residue in eggs sold by a premium brand. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed food safety officers across states to collect samples of both branded and unbranded eggs and send them for testing at 10 authorised laboratories across the country.
The move comes amid growing public concern over nitrofuran, a prohibited antibiotic linked to cancer risks, after social media claims alleged its presence in eggs marketed as “antibiotic-free.”
What Triggered the Action
The controversy began after a YouTube channel, Trustified, released a video claiming that egg samples from Eggoz Nutrition, a brand that promotes chemical-free and antibiotic-free eggs, tested positive for AOZ, a metabolite of nitrofuran. The video quickly gained traction online, prompting widespread debate and anxiety among consumers.
In response, FSSAI initiated a surveillance and enforcement campaign to independently verify whether nitrofuran residues are present in eggs available in the Indian market and to ensure compliance with food safety norms.
What Is Nitrofuran and Why Is It Banned
Nitrofurans are a group of synthetic antibiotics once used in poultry and livestock to prevent infections. Due to concerns over their carcinogenic and genotoxic potential, their use in food-producing animals has been banned in India and several other countries.
When animals are exposed to nitrofuran, it breaks down into metabolites such as AOZ, which can persist in tissues and enter the human food chain through products like meat, fish, or eggs. Even trace amounts are closely monitored by food regulators because of the long-term health risks associated with exposure.
The Debate Over ‘Antibiotic-Free’ Claims
According to reports, the detected AOZ level in the tested egg sample was 0.73 parts per billion—an extremely low quantity. Eggoz Nutrition has stated that its eggs remain safe and compliant with Indian regulations, which allow minimal residue limits to account for unavoidable environmental contamination such as polluted water sources.
However, the episode has sparked a larger debate over the difference between “legally safe” and “chemically free.” Consumer groups and health experts are questioning whether brands should make absolute claims when trace residues can still be detected.
State Governments Step In
Adding to the scrutiny, the Karnataka government has announced that it will independently verify claims circulating on social media about cancer-causing substances in eggs. State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said there is no immediate cause for panic and urged people to wait for verified test results before drawing conclusions.
What Happens Next
FSSAI’s lab results are expected to play a crucial role in determining whether further regulatory action is needed. The findings could also influence how food labels and marketing claims around “antibiotic-free” products are regulated in the future.
For now, authorities maintain that consumers need not panic, but the episode has once again highlighted the importance of transparency, scientific verification, and trust in India’s food safety ecosystem.
