The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a new food‑safety directive requiring date markings on every egg sold within the state, effective April 1. The order, announced by the state Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) and reported by the Times of India, is intended to boost consumer awareness and make it easier to monitor egg freshness across farms, wholesale markets and retail outlets.
Under the rule, egg producers and distributors must stamp two details directly on each egg: the date the egg was laid and the expiry or best‑before date. The FDA has set the safe consumption period at 28 days from the date of laying; eggs sold after that period will be treated as violations of food‑safety norms. The requirement applies whether eggs are sold loose or in packaged trays.
Officials quoted by the Times of India said the date must be printed on the egg itself and not merely on outer cartons or packaging, a measure aimed at ensuring transparency even in open‑market sales where eggs are often sold individually.
Authorities say the change responds to a long‑standing gap: there was previously no uniform system for indicating an egg’s age at the point of sale, making it hard for consumers to judge freshness and for inspectors to verify compliance. The government frames the measure as a consumer‑protection step rather than a supply restriction.
The FDA has instructed food‑safety officers across districts to begin monitoring compliance from April 1, and eggs found without the required markings may attract penalties under existing food‑safety laws. Officials also plan awareness programmes to help poultry farms, distributors and retailers adapt to the new stamping requirement.
Consumers are advised to check for stamped dates before purchase instead of relying on verbal assurances. State officials say the move-Uttar Pradesh is among the first to require individual egg‑level date marking-could set a precedent for food‑safety practices in other regions.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/food/uttar-pradesh-government-mandates-expiry-date-stamping-on-eggs-from-april-1-11231245#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-03-18 10:50:00
