No manufacture, packaging, or sale of raw egg mayonnaise in Tamil Nadu for 1 year

Earlier the Telangana govt had also halted it for a year.

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government has imposed a ban on manufacturing, processing, storage, and sale of mayonnaise prepared from raw egg for a period of one year since it is a “high risk food” which could lead to food poisoning.

The ban came into effect on April 8 in Tamil Nadu and will be in force for a year, a Government Order signed by Principal Secretary and Commissioner of Food Safety R Lalvena said.

Mayonnaise, which is quite popular among kids, is a semi-solid emulsion generally composed of egg yolk, vegetable oil, vinegar and other seasonings served along with food items like shawarma. Mayonnaise made of raw eggs is a high risk food as it carries a food poisoning risk, especially from Salmonella bacteria, Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes.

Officials said the ban was imposed after it came to the government’s notice that food businesses use raw egg for preparation of mayonnaise, and improper storage facilitates contamination by microorganisms that creates a public health risk, particularly by Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, and Listeria Monocytogenes, it said.

“In any specific circumstances, on the basis of assessment of available information and if the possibility of harmful effects on health is identified but scientific uncertainty persists, provisional risk management measures to ensure that health is protected can be adopted as per the Act, pending further scientific information for a more comprehensive risk assessment,” the Government Order said.

Lalvena said in the interest of public health the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of Mayonnaise prepared from raw egg in the whole of the State of Tamil Nadu has been banned for a period of one year with effect from 08.04.2025.