Mangaluru: One person takes Nipah virus test after symptoms
Mangaluru: A Goa-based individual reportedly underwent tests in Mangaluru after suspecting symptoms of Nipah virus and their reports are expected to be out by September 15.
The disease has spread an environment of anxiety in the neighbouring state of Kerala where strict controlling measures have been implemented.
The individual who underwent the test was working as a microbiologist in a lab in Goa, where they used to prepare RT PCR test kits, it is learned. The person had reportedly experienced fever and recovered from it two days before the test and had suspected if the symptoms could be of Nipah virus, and had volunteered for the test.
The individual arrived from Goa to Karwar and travelled to Manipal and later reached Mangaluru. The Health Department which received the individual’s test samples has reportedly sent them for testing and is expecting to obtain the results by September 15. The District Health Officer Dr. Kishor Kumar has informed that the individual has been kept in isolation in Mangaluru’s government hospital.
Since the person was working in the lab, they have voluntarily opted to undergo the test, it is learned. The individual did not display have any symptoms of the disease. Their test sample has been sent for examination and the reports are being awaited, officials said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Eggs safe for consumption, cancer risk claims unfounded: FSSAI
New Delhi (PTI): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorically dismissed recent claims linking eggs to cancer risk, terming them "misleading, scientifically unsupported and capable of creating unnecessary public alarm".
In a statement issued on Saturday, the food safety regulator clarified that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption and that reports alleging the presence of carcinogenic substances in eggs lack a scientific basis.
The clarification comes in response to media reports and social media posts claiming detection of nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) -- substances purportedly linked to cancer -- in eggs sold in India.
FSSAI officials emphasised that the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited at all stages of poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
The regulator explained that an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 µg/kg has been prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites -- but solely for regulatory enforcement purposes. This limit represents the minimum level that can be reliably detected by advanced laboratory methods and does not indicate that the substance is permitted for use.
"Detection of trace residues below the EMRL does not constitute a food safety violation nor does it imply any health risk," an FSSAI official said.
FSSAI said India's regulatory framework is aligned with international practices. The European Union and the United States also prohibit the use of nitrofurans in food-producing animals and employ reference points for action or guideline values only as enforcement tools.
Differences in numerical benchmarks across countries reflect variations in analytical and regulatory approaches, not differences in consumer safety standards, the authority noted.
On public health concerns, FSSAI cited scientific evidence indicating that there is no established causal link between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health outcomes in humans.
"No national or international health authority has associated normal egg consumption with increased cancer risk," the regulator reiterated.
Addressing reports related to the testing of a specific egg brand, officials explained that such detections are isolated and batch-specific, often arising from inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and are not representative of the overall egg supply chain in the country.
"Generalising isolated laboratory findings to label eggs as unsafe is scientifically incorrect," the statement said.
FSSAI urged consumers to rely on verified scientific evidence and official advisories, reiterating that eggs remain a safe, nutritious, and valuable component of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in compliance with food safety regulations.
