The ban covers the full food supply chain—manufacturing to retail. No food business can make, store, or sell items currently prohibited by authorities for public health reasons, the notification said
Published Apr 24, 2025 | 10:20 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 24, 2025 | 10:20 PM
Synopsis: The Tamil Nadu government has banned the manufacture, sale, and distribution of raw egg-based mayonnaise for one year starting 8 April 2025, citing public health risks. Following Kerala and Telangana, this move aims to curb foodborne illnesses. The order, issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, was published by Commissioner of Food Safety R Lalvena
The Tamil Nadu government has become the latest state to clamp down on raw egg-based mayonnaise, announcing a comprehensive ban on its manufacture, storage, sale, and distribution for one year, effective from 8 April 2025.
This decision follows similar moves by Kerala and Telangana, where food safety authorities flagged concerns over the product’s potential to cause serious food borne illnesses.
The official notification, issued by R Lalvena, Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Food Safety, was published in the Government Gazette. It invokes Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 — empowering the Commissioner to prohibit food articles considered hazardous to public health.
Mayonnaise, commonly used as a condiment with popular street foods like shawarma, is traditionally made using a semi-solid emulsion of egg yolk, vegetable oil, vinegar, and seasonings. However, versions prepared using raw eggs have come under increasing scrutiny due to their classification as a “high-risk food.”
“Raw egg mayonnaise carries a significant risk of contamination by food borne pathogens such as Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes,” the notification warns. These bacteria can cause severe gastrointestinal illness, especially among vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.
The Tamil Nadu Food Safety Department highlighted that many food business operators use raw eggs in mayonnaise without adhering to proper hygienic practices or storage conditions, thereby increasing the risk of microbial contamination.
Enforcement Across All Sectors
The ban applies across the entire food supply chain — including manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, transport, catering services, and retail sales. “No food business operator shall manufacture, store, sell or distribute any food which, for the time being, is prohibited by the Food Authority or the Central or State government in the interest of public health,” the notification stated.
This sweeping action is also a form of provisional risk management — a legal tool under the Food Safety Act that allows temporary bans when there is potential harm to public health, even if scientific uncertainty remains.
Tamil Nadu’s decision follows similar bans in Telangana and Kerala, where raw egg mayonnaise has been linked to multiple food poisoning outbreaks.
In October 2024, Telangana imposed a year-long ban after several reports of food borne illness, particularly in shawarma eateries. “The main reason for food poisoning is mayonnaise. They are preparing it with eggs, and it’s getting contaminated,” Dr. Sivaleela, Director of the Food Safety Department, told South First at the time. She noted that improperly prepared homemade mayonnaise, often devoid of preservatives and refrigeration, could be a hotbed for Salmonella.
Kerala, meanwhile, was the first Indian state to impose a ban back in 2023. That decision followed lab tests that detected harmful bacteria in samples collected from food establishments. At the time, the state government emphasised that the risk of infection from raw egg-based foods could not be ignored, especially in the absence of strict cold chain logistics and hygiene controls.
Experts have noted that commercially produced mayonnaise often uses pasteurised eggs, which are heated just enough to kill harmful bacteria without cooking the egg. This process significantly reduces health risks. Homemade or street-side mayonnaise, however, typically uses raw, unpasteurised eggs, making it far more susceptible to contamination, particularly when stored at room temperature.
Salmonella can enter eggs through fecal contamination during production, and without pasteurisation, the bacteria can thrive in improperly stored or prepared products. The resulting infections often lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever, and in severe cases, hospitalisation.
The Tamil Nadu government has stated that it will continue to monitor the situation and may consider lifting the ban based on scientific assessments and evidence of improved food safety practices. Until then, enforcement teams are expected to conduct regular inspections to ensure compliance.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
