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New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Monday directed its regional offices across the country to collect samples of both branded and unbranded eggs and send them to 10 laboratories for testing to check for the presence of nitrofurans residues.The move follows a controversy over the quality of eggs sold by popular brand Eggoz, with reports raising concerns about possible traces of nitrofurans — a group of antibiotics banned for use in food-producing animals. Health authorities say the fact that residues can still enter eggs if such drugs are used illegally in poultry farming is what has prompted the nationwide sampling exercise.The issue surfaced after an online report flagged concerns over egg quality, triggering public debate and regulatory scrutiny. In response, Eggoz issued a statement maintaining that its products are safe.“As promised, the latest lab reports of Eggoz egg samples (Dec 25) are available, and we are sharing them openly for everyone’s reference at www.eggoz.com. At Eggoz, the safety and trust of our consumers mean everything to us. Thank you for your patience and for giving us the opportunity to clarify the facts. We will continue to uphold the highest standards across our farms and processes,” the egg distributors said in a statement on X. According to information shared by the company, the lab reports indicate that the samples tested were free from banned antibiotics, pesticides and drugs, with results marked “BLQ” — below the limit of quantification — for the substances tested.Medical experts, however, say the wider issue of antibiotic misuse in poultry remains a serious public health concern. Prof Chintamani, chairman, surgical oncology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said nitrofurans are banned worldwide because their residues can persist in eggs even after cooking. Long-term consumption of contaminated eggs has been linked in animal studies to genetic damage and increased cancer risk, besides potential harm to the liver and kidneys.
