In Kashmir, food has always been more than sustenance. It is memory, hospitality, culture, and trust served warm. A shared meal is an unspoken promise “that what is placed before us will nourish, not harm”. Yet, in recent times, that promise is quietly being broken.
When that assurance fractures, the consequences are not just physical, they are existential. In recent months, Kashmir has been gripped by a food safety crisis that has shaken consumer confidence and raised alarm about everyday staples such as eggs and meat. Incidents involving the seizure of adulterated meat earlier have now been followed by claims that carcinogenic chemicals may be present in eggs sold in local markets, leading to intense public debate and government scrutiny.
The Alarming Allegations: What’s in the Eggs?
The controversy that surfaced after a viral laboratory report flagged the possible presence of carcinogenic drug residues in eggs widely consumed across the Valley. According to multiple media reports and official statements, nitrofuran and nitroimidazole residues (antibiotics that are strictly banned in food-producing animals due to their carcinogenic, genotoxic, and toxic properties) were allegedly detected in some egg samples. These compounds are not permitted for use in poultry because they can break down into metabolites that may damage DNA, increase cancer risk, and harm organs and immune function. While detailed government laboratory verification is still pending, the allegations alone have exposed deep anxieties about food safety, even for items previously considered wholesome and healthy.
How Carcinogenic Contaminants Enter the Food Chain: For a common man who gets anxious after reading the reports and allegations, it is imperative to understand how hazardous chemicals can contaminate food. Following are few points that indicate the same.
Illegal Use of Banned Veterinary Drugs
Some farmers or producers may resort to using prohibited antibiotics or growth promoters to prevent disease or increase production yields in poultry. When hens are exposed to these drugs, residues can accumulate in eggs and meat.
Contaminated Feed and Water
Even if a farm does not directly use banned drugs, contaminants can enter eggs via contaminated feed or water. Feed ingredients grown in polluted soil or water can carry toxins into animal products.
- Environmental Pollution
Environmental contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), heavy metals, industrial by-products, and pesticides can get absorbed by poultry through soil or air and may end up in eggs. Studies globally have found contaminants like dioxins, PCBs, and certain flame retardants in eggs near industrial or waste sites, suggesting that environmental exposure is another vector of risk.
Poor Storage and Handling Practices
Even eggs that begin as safe can be compromised through unhygienic handling, cross-contamination with chemicals, or improper storage, which encourages microbial growth and chemical changes.
The broader crisis: The egg controversy in Kashmir is symptomatic of a larger problem. Earlier this year, thousands of kilograms of adulterated and rotten meat were seized, triggering concerns about unsafe food entering the market. Such incidents point to systemic weaknesses in surveillance, regulation, and enforcement of food safety standards. Food adulteration is not limited to eggs or meat reports have also highlighted issues like fake honey and compromised produce, indicating that unsafe food practices may be widespread.
Why it matters: Food adulteration poses immediate dangers like food poisoning, but some risks manifest quietly over years. Consuming carcinogenic or toxic substances even in trace amounts can increase the long-term risk of cancers, organ dysfunctions, and immune compromise. This is particularly concerning for vulnerable groups like children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses. When staples such as eggs are implicated, millions feel vulnerable because these are not luxury foods they are everyday nutrition.
Action beyond panic: In moments of food safety scares, panic spreads faster than facts. WhatsApp forwards replace verified information, and fear dictates choices. But panic does not purify food, awareness does. What the common public need right now is not hysteria, but clarity, caution, and collective responsibility.
First, understand the difference between allegation and confirmation: Not every viral report is scientifically validated. Wait for laboratory results from authorized food safety agencies before drawing sweeping conclusions or boycotting entire food groups. Eggs, milk, meat, or vegetables are not the enemy, unsafe practices are.
Second, avoid blanket fear: Eliminating a nutritious food without evidence can harm children, pregnant women, and the elderly more than it helps. Food safety crises demand selective caution, not nutritional self-sabotage.
Third, question the source of both food and information. Buy from vendors who maintain hygiene, transparency, and traceability. At the same time, rely on official advisories, credible media, and scientific explanations rather than forwarded voice notes and sensational headlines.
Fourth, use your senses and your sense. Unusual smell, appearance, or taste is reason enough to discard food. When in doubt, throw it out. Saving money should never cost health.
Fifth, report instead of ranting. Public outrage on social media may create noise, but formal complaints create action. Reporting suspicious food to food safety authorities strengthens surveillance and protects the community.
Lastly, as a food technologist I urge the common public to remember that food adulteration thrives in silence and ignorance. It weakens when consumers are alert, informed, and unafraid to ask questions. This is not the time to panic. This is the time to be watchful, be informed, and be vocal.
Because in a crisis, calm awareness is our strongest defence.
Dr, Saadiya Naqash is a Food Technologist and Co-Founder of Kashmir Food Safety Network.