'Plastic' eggs and injected watermelons? FSSAI busts two viral food myths in one go

You know the drill. Your phone buzzes. It’s the family WhatsApp group, and someone just dropped a terrifying video about the groceries sitting right inside your fridge.


Lately, the internet has been completely obsessed with two massive food scares. First, that local markets and delivery apps are flooded with synthetic, "plastic" eggs. Second, that vendors are secretly jabbing watermelons with syringes full of red dye.


People were genuinely dumping their week's groceries into the trash. But is there actually any truth to the hype? India’s top food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), finally stepped in to clear the air. And honestly, it’s time we all take a deep breath.

The 'Plastic' Egg Panic: Cracked Wide Open

We have all watched those dramatic clips. A guy cracks an egg into a hot pan. The yolk instantly collapses into the white, and he confidently declares to the camera that he's cooking pure plastic. Thanks to these viral videos, folks started second-guessing every single omelette.

FSSAI’s verdict?

It is absolute nonsense.


According to the authority, there is literally zero scientific evidence to prove that synthetic or plastic eggs are circulating in the Indian food supply chain.


None.


So, what exactly is happening in those scary videos? It boils down to basic science, not a sinister lab experiment. An egg isn't "fake" just because the yolk breaks easily and mixes with the egg white.


That is simply what happens to eggs as they age. What about the claims regarding weird, dry, or brittle shells? Again, totally natural. As time passes, an egg loses moisture through its porous shell. It dries out. It doesn't mean you bought a plastic replica.


Instead of falling down a conspiracy rabbit hole, FSSAI recommends a foolproof way to check your breakfast. Just do the water test. Grab a deep bowl, fill it with cold water, and drop the egg in. If it sinks: You are golden. It’s fresh and completely safe to eat.
If it floats: Toss it. The egg is old.

Seeing Red? The Watermelon Dye Myth

Then there’s our ultimate summer lifesaver: the watermelon. A rumor caught fire online claiming that sellers are secretly injecting watermelons with bright red dye to make them look perfectly ripe, sweet, and photo-ready.


Sounds disgusting, right? Well, FSSAI says there is zero scientific merit to this one either. Think about the sheer logistics for a second.


Pumping individual watermelons with dye is incredibly slow. It’s also way too expensive and tedious to ever pull off on a massive, commercial scale. The math just doesn't work for vendors trying to make a quick buck.


And let's look at the physics of it. If you shoot liquid dye through a tiny needle into a solid fruit, the color won’t magically spread evenly. You wouldn’t get a perfect, ruby-red watermelon. You’d get a weird-looking fruit packed with obvious, dark splotches of concentrated color.


Here is the biggest kicker.


Sticking a needle through a watermelon rind ruins the fruit. Those tiny puncture wounds would introduce bacteria, causing the watermelon to spoil and rot almost immediately. It wouldn't even survive the bumpy truck ride to your local fruit stand.

Eat In Peace

The FSSAI has a simple message for all of us: trust your fresh food. The next time your phone pings with a scary video about fake groceries, remember the actual science before you panic-toss your food.


Eat your summer fruits and morning eggs without the stress.


And maybe, just maybe, let’s stop forwarding those unverified videos that do nothing but cause unnecessary panic.