Hong Kong gov’t assures safety of mainland Chinese egg brand DQY after reports of colouring additive

2026-03-23 - 07:12

The Hong Kong government has assured the public safety of a mainland Chinese egg brand following reports that the eggs contained a colouring additive called canthaxanthin. A consumer buys two packs of DQY eggs in a supermarket in Hong Kong on March 23, 2026. Photo: Irene Chan/HFKP. DQY was among six egg brands tested by a group of consumer advocates led by Chinese consumer rights activist Wang Hai, the news site Chinese Food Safety Network reported on March 15. While all six brands promote their eggs as “natural” and free from additives, 10 types of eggs from the six companies were found to contain canthaxanthin, a colouring additive included in poultry feed to deepen the colour of the yolk, according to the report. According to the test results, DQY eggs sold in mainland Chinese supermarkets were found to contain canthaxanthin at a level of 3.09 mg/kg. DQY eggs are sold in major Hong Kong supermarkets, including Wellcome and PARKnSHOP. DQY eggs sold in a Hong Kong supermarket on March 23, 2026. Photo: Irene Chan/HKFP. In response to HKFP’s enquiry, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said on Friday that, in Hong Kong, under the Colouring Matter in Food Regulations, canthaxanthin is considered “a permitted colouring matter” that may be added to food in accordance with the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice. Following reports in mainland China, the FEHD’s Centre for Food Safety (CFS) had conducted a risk assessment on DQY eggs, the department said. “The dietary exposures to canthaxanthin at the concerned level from eggs for the local population remain well below the Acceptable Daily Intake of 0-0.03 mg/kg body weight established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), and thus do not indicate a health concern,“ the FEHD said. According to FEHD, between January 2023 and February 2026, the CFS had collected over 1,160 samples of whole eggs, including those from DQY, for chemical and microbiological testing, and all test results for colouring matters were satisfactory. Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. File photo: GovHK. In Hong Kong, all import of eggs is regulated under the Imported Game, Meat, Poultry and Eggs Regulations. “That means the import of eggs must be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the concerned authority of the place of origin and an import permission issued by the FEHD at the time of import into Hong Kong,” the FEHD said. HKFP has reached out to DQY for comment.