Eggoz Nutrition, a popular premium egg brand, is currently embroiled in a soup after a YouTuber’s cancer-causing egg-related claims went viral this week. The brand, however, quickly issued a clarification on social media, saying that its eggs are “absolutely safe” to consume.

The whole row started when a YouTube channel known as Trustified published a report claiming that egg samples from Eggoz tested positive for AOZ, a metabolite of the banned antibiotic Nitrofuran. The finding, according to Trustified, was 0.73 parts per billion and was enough to cast doubt on the brand’s “100% antibiotic-free” promise.

Read Eggoz’s full statement here

In another statement, the brand said its value chain includes ensuring zero antibiotic use in addition to quality food sourcing, storage, transportation and delivery, in line with established food safety practices.

What are nitrofurans?

Nitrofurans are synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotics that were once widely used in poultry, pigs, shrimp, and other animals. They have been banned from use because they are rapidly metabolized to AOZ, AMOZ, AHD and SEM, which can be detected for weeks. The chemical is also banned for use in poultry because of its possible links to cancer.

Reactions on social networks

Trustified’s claim went viral on social media in no time, with netizens claiming that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was caught napping on the issue.

One user commented on X: “This Eggoz crap just shows that FSSAI is a fucking joke. You can literally throw money and get ‘approved’. No testing, no accountability, just stamps and corruption. Food safety? More like pay-to-pass certification. This country’s regulatory system is so easy to jump around it’s laughable, and we’re the ones who eat the consequences. What a scam.”

Another user wrote, “Dangerous carcinogens found in IITian owned company Eggoz. These are premium eggs and the price is double than normal eggs. All food companies are playing with our lives because they know nothing will happen to them. They can just bribe @fssaiindia and get away with it.”

Meanwhile, orthopedic surgeon and content creator Dr Manan Vora admitted the findings were shocking for a brand claiming to be “100% antibiotic free”, but said consumers should not panic.

He explained that the levels of the chemical detected were extremely low and did not pose an acute health threat overnight. Dr. Vora further said that the real issue was not the immediate toxicity but the breach of trust and how the chemicals enter the food chain.