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........

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