Pang Donglai Responds to "Lutein Detected in Eggs": Procurement Procedures Complete, Currently Undergoing Third-Party Re-testing and Market Supervision Department Investigation

Pang Donglai issued a statement on March 15 regarding the “Wang Hai Evaluation” report about the detection of carotenoids in fresh eggs sold by Pang Donglai. The content is as follows:

Regarding the recent report by “Wang Hai Evaluation” on various online platforms about the detection of carotenoids in fresh eggs sold by Pang Donglai, we take this very seriously. We have immediately established an investigation team to look into the matter. The current progress of the investigation is as follows:

1. Carotenoids are naturally or synthetically occurring carotenoids widely found in algae, fungi, fish, and other plants and animals. They can be used as feed additives. Currently, there are no national regulations or standards regarding carotenoid limits in fresh egg products. All fresh eggs sold in our stores are legally sourced through formal channels, with complete procurement procedures and qualified testing reports. Our Pang Donglai testing center conducts regular weekly random inspections of fresh eggs, and the results are publicly displayed in the stores. The product quality is qualified and meets national standards.

2. To ensure product quality and safety, and to protect consumer rights, we have sent the brands of fresh eggs sold in our stores to Mérieux Testing Technology (Qingdao) Co., Ltd., SGS Standard Technical Services (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., and Henan Huace Testing Technology Co., Ltd. for comprehensive re-inspection.

3. Market regulatory authorities have inspected the stores for compliance in procurement and have conducted sampling tests on various brands of fresh eggs. Meanwhile, all manufacturers of these brands are cooperating with local market regulators to conduct thorough investigations of their breeding farms.

Pang Donglai always prioritizes food safety, providing customers with safe, practical, and reliable products, and safeguarding consumers’ legal rights. The “Wang Hai Evaluation” used the standards for feed additives, specifically the “Regulations for Safe Use of Feed Additives,” to determine whether the carotenoid levels in fresh eggs are excessive. This is a confusion of feed standards with food standards, applying the wrong standards, lacking legal basis, and has caused public misunderstanding. It also negatively impacts the normal order of the fresh egg market. Currently, the relevant investigations by market regulatory authorities and third-party re-inspections have not yet yielded results. If the final investigation shows issues with the fresh eggs, we will promptly disclose the results and immediately initiate product recalls and removal from shelves, assuming legal responsibility accordingly to protect every customer’s rights and safety. If no issues are found, we will resolutely pursue legal action to defend our rights and hold individuals, media, and platforms legally responsible for this incident.