Egg mayonnaise ban leaves foodies, shop owners in a pickle
Chennai/Trichy: The one-year ban imposed by the state govt on manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of mayonnaise prepared from
raw eggs
has caught shop owners and egg mayo lovers off guard. Many outlets TOI spoke to have already switched to eggless mayonnaise or are serving chutneys alongside their barbeque, tandoori or other items.
The ban was based on a series of
food safety
lab reports, a 'strong suspicion' of poor manufacturing and storage practices, and an increase in bacterial infection cases. Tamil Nadu is the third state to impose such a ban, following Kerala in Jan 2023 and Telangana in 2024. "The ban is not on all mayonnaise," commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration R Lalvena told TOI. Commercially available branded mayonnaise is usually made with pasteurised eggs – they are heated to a specific temperature for a set amount of time, sufficient to kill harmful bacteria such as salmonella. "They are safe and hence exempted. Vegetarian and vegan mayos that are made without eggs are allowed too," he said.
A notification in the state gazette said mayonnaise, a semi-solid emulsion containing egg yolk, vegetable oil, vinegar, and other seasonings served with food items like shawarma, is a 'high food risk.' This was due to its potential for
food poisoning
, especially from salmonella bacteria. The decision to ban it was taken after considering inputs from food analysts, experts in food safety, and doctors, Lalvena said. The food safety department, however, did not have data on the samples that were contaminated or the number of people who suffered from infection after eating mayonnaise made from raw eggs.
Some believe it's the egg that gives mayonnaise its signature kick, while others are confident that the switch to eggless variants will not significantly affect the taste. "It's still early to say how people will receive it, as we are just starting to use eggless mayonnaise in our shawarmas," said C Siva, owner of Street Arabiya in Trichy, which sells around 75 to 100 shawarmas daily.
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Vinod, manager at the food park restaurant, opined that instead of banning it altogether, the govt could have opted for regulation with clear instructions on its safe preparation. A grocery store manager said no clear notice or guideline was sent to stores that have stocks of egg mayonnaise. "The texture, the tang. It's the egg that brings it all together. I hope this ban does not last too long," said A Rafiq.
Doctors, however, call it a step in the right direction to prevent diseases like food poisoning and typhoid, particularly among children. "The one most commonly associated with food poisoning is salmonella. Other bacteria that may be present in mayonnaise include listeria monocytogenes and staphylococcus aureus. For public safety, it's better to either avoid raw egg-based mayo or prepare it fresh at home under hygienic conditions," Dr M A Aleem of ABC Hospital and retired professor at KAPV govt medical college, told TOI.
Meanwhile, food inspectors are set to lift samples, send them to labs for tests, and book vendors if they are found to be using mayonnaise made with raw eggs. Violations can attract fines and legal action, including imprisonment.
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