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The Telangana government in response to recent health scares has placed an immediate ban on the production and sale of mayonnaise made from raw eggs.
This urgent move comes on the heels of troubling reports from Hyderabad, where a spate of foodborne illnesses—including one death and several hospitalisations—were linked to contaminated mayonnaise used in popular street foods.
The state Commissioner of Food Safety issued an order on Wednesday to this effect, prohibiting the production, storage, and sale of egg-based mayonnaise for a year.
Why is mayonnaise associated with food-borne illnesses? What are the specifics of this ban? Here’s what we know so far.
Rising cases of food poisoning
Hyderabad has recently reported a concerning wave of food poisoning cases linked to local eateries, raising an alarm among authorities.
One particularly tragic case involved 31-year-old Reshma Begum and her two daughters, aged 12 and 14, who became severely ill after eating momos from a street vendor in Hyderabad’s Banjara Hills.
According to Livemint, the family quickly developed symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. Hoping to recover at home, they sought medical help on October 27 when their symptoms worsened. Tragically, Reshma passed away en route to the hospital, while her daughters remain under treatment.
Investigations by officials uncovered that at least 20 more residents from nearby areas had also been hospitalised with similar symptoms after consuming food from the same vendor.
In response, health authorities began conducting raids across the city, particularly targeting shawarma and mandi outlets, following similar food poisoning cases reported at a shawarma outlet just days before.
How is mayo linked to food poisoning?
Mayonnaise, commonly referred to as ‘mayo,’ is a thick, creamy dressing created by emulsifying egg yolk with oil and often flavoured with vinegar or lemon juice.
It is widely used in a variety of dishes, including sandwiches, salads, momos, shawarma, and chicken. It has a short shelf life and is very susceptible to bacterial growth if improperly stored, as per food experts.
According to Dr Sivaleela, Director of the Food Safety Department in Telangana, egg-based mayonnaise poses a particular risk. In an interview with South First, she explained, “Homemade mayonnaise, which is sometimes made with raw eggs, can be contaminated with Salmonella, leading to nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if not prepared or stored correctly.”
Salmonella, a bacterium known to cause foodborne illnesses, can be present on eggshells from contamination during egg production.
Unlike commercial mayonnaise, which uses preservatives such as calcium disodium EDTA and pasteurised eggs (heated to kill bacteria without cooking), homemade mayo often uses raw, unpasteurised eggs.
This lack of pasteurisation and the absence of preservatives makes it more vulnerable to bacterial growth, especially if left at room temperature.
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Telangana bans mayonnaise
On Wednesday, the Telangana government officially banned the mayonnaise made from raw eggs across the state.
“As per the observations during enforcement activities and complaints received from the public, Mayonnaise made from raw eggs is suspected to be a cause of food poisoning in multiple incidents in the past few months,” the prohibition order said.
Citing the Food Safety Act that empowers the authorities to take action “in cases where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a food may present a risk for human health,” the Commissioner of Food Safety, ordered prohibition of the “production, storage and sale of mayonnaise prepared from raw eggs for a period of one year with immediate effect from October 30, 2024.”
Prohibition on Mayonnaise made from raw eggs
The prohibition applies to Mayonnaise being prepared by FBOs for commercial use, using raw eggs without any pasteurisation.
The ban does not apply to mayonnaise which is produced from pasteurised eggs, with due safety measures to… pic.twitter.com/dYL8igLDvu
— Commissioner of Food Safety, Telangana (@cfs_telangana) October 30, 2024
The government notification also stated that the public would be alerted to potential health risks associated with food products whenever there is reasonable cause for concern. Authorities have also encouraged food establishments and consumers to comply with this new regulation and to consider alternative mayonnaise options that exclude raw eggs.
In 2023, Kerala became the first Indian state to ban raw egg-based mayonnaise after lab tests found harmful microorganisms in market samples.
With input from agencies