Here's why Telangana banned mayonnaise for a year amid food poisoning concerns

By Gargi Chaudhry | First Published Oct 31, 2024, 11:03 AM IST

Telangana government bans mayonnaise production and sale after food poisoning incidents in Hyderabad. Learn about the potential link between raw egg mayonnaise and foodborne illnesses, and the government's response to protect public health.

Following allegations that mayonnaise made from raw eggs may be a potential source of food illness, the Telangana government banned its manufacturing, storage, and sale for a year with immediate effect. To this end, the state's Commissioner of Food Safety issued an order.

"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 ruling stated. The order was issued a day after one person died and 15 others fell ill from consuming momos in Hyderabad.

Mayonnaise and its usage

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Mayonnaise is frequently used as a dressing or side dish in shawarma, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and snacks. Food safety experts said that the usage of egg-based mayonnaise, which is often used in sandwiches, momos, shawarma, and Al Faham chicken, among other meals, has been linked to a number of recent contamination instances in the state. Egg yolks are employed by emulsifying them with oil, which is frequently flavored with lemon juice or vinegar. Additionally, the government statement said that anytime there is a legitimate basis to be concerned, the public would be informed of any possible health hazards related to food goods.

What happened in Hyderabad?

After eating momos at a Hyderabadi restaurant on Tuesday, a 31-year-old lady passed away, and 15 other people became unwell after eating the delicacy from various locations. According to preliminary research, these vendors purchased the momos from the same provider. Health officials raided shawarma and mandi (a dish that resembles biryani) restaurants around the city after similar cases of food illness were recorded at a shawarma restaurant a few days prior.

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