Egg Lutein Controversy: Huangtian'e Takes Hard Stance Against Professional Fake-Busters, Claims "Official Inspection Confirmation," Personal Testing Anti-Counterfeiting Model Faces Scrutiny

A small egg is sparking a public controversy.

On the eve of March 15, the team of professional watchdog Wang Hai posted a video on social media claiming that eggs from brands such as Huang Tiane contain “canthaxanthin,” raising suspicions of artificial synthetic coloring. Huang Tiane responded publicly, firmly denying the use of synthetic canthaxanthin, stating that the trace amounts detected are at natural background levels, and that local market regulatory authorities have conducted on-site sampling and are awaiting official testing results.

In recent years, many self-media outlets and civil organizations have conducted product evaluations by sending products for individual testing and publicly sharing the results on social media to attract public attention. However, in this case involving canthaxanthin, Wang Hai’s personal testing and watchdog approach has also sparked considerable controversy.

双方激辩“角黄素”来源

The core dispute between both sides centers on the source of the canthaxanthin detected in the eggs.

According to a video released by Wang Hai’s evaluation team, the tested Huang Tiane eggs contained 0.399 mg/kg of canthaxanthin. Eggs purchased later from Yonghui Supermarket tested by Wang Hai contained 1.65 mg/kg. Wang Hai posted on social media asserting that eggs from natural feed cannot contain canthaxanthin and accused it of coming from artificial coloring additives in feed.

Founded in 2019, Huang Tiane is owned by Fengji Food. Since its establishment, the brand has targeted the high-end egg market, emphasizing features like “edible raw” and “no artificial coloring,” and has received multiple rounds of funding from institutions including China International Capital Corporation and Puru Capital, making it one of the representative high-end egg brands domestically. As a result, Wang Hai’s claim that artificial coloring was added has attracted widespread market attention.

Huang Tiane responded publicly, stating that canthaxanthin naturally exists in algae, fungi (mushrooms), crustaceans, fish, and eggs. The levels of canthaxanthin detected in Huang Tiane eggs are consistent with natural background levels and are not artificially added. According to literature published by Huang Tiane, when egg yolk color reaches a level of 9 degrees, the canthaxanthin content exceeds 2 mg/kg. To achieve a yolk color of over 12 degrees, the detected 0.399 mg/kg is far below the necessary amount.

Additionally, Huang Tiane explained that from a commercial standpoint, there is no motivation to add canthaxanthin. Such addition would not significantly improve yolk coloration, and the cost savings are minimal, making it economically unjustifiable. Their current feed production equipment also lacks the capacity to add canthaxanthin, which could lead to uneven mixing and other risks.

However, Wang Hai posted on his personal social media that 100% of the canthaxanthin in eggs comes from feed additives, with no natural source, and that chickens cannot synthesize canthaxanthin on their own. He accused Huang Tiane’s response of lacking integrity.

Liu Wenbin, head of quality management at Fengji Food Group, told First Financial that the company’s feed is self-produced, with raw materials supplied by fixed vendors, and there is no addition of canthaxanthin. He also questioned the authenticity and objectivity of Wang Hai’s testing, as well as the actual sample conditions. For example, the product in Wang Hai’s report has a production date of December 16, 2025, with a shelf life of 30 days, but the testing period from January 13 to 19 fully overlaps with or exceeds the product’s expiration date.

Huang Tiane’s official Weibo also issued a statement, saying that local market regulators have completed sampling and testing of their products. The samples have been sent to an authoritative testing agency, and they are awaiting official results, which will be announced promptly on their official account.

关于角黄素的争议

Public information shows that canthaxanthin, also called “partridge yellow,” is a carotenoid pigment widely present in nature. It is used as a food additive, dietary supplement, or animal feed coloring agent, including in eggs. The yolk color mainly depends on carotenoid levels in chicken feed.

According to the “Regulations on the Safe Use of Feed Additives,” canthaxanthin is a legal coloring agent permitted in poultry production, with a maximum addition limit of 8 mg/kg in poultry feed. However, there are no specific standards for egg products, so it has been little known publicly.

At an industry forum, Professor Ma Meihu from Huazhong Agricultural University’s College of Food Science stated that canthaxanthin is abundant in algae and fungi. When hens consume natural feed, canthaxanthin naturally deposits in their bodies. Experts also noted that natural and synthetic canthaxanthin have identical chemical structures, and routine high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and LC-MS tests can only measure total content, not distinguish sources.

Wu Shugen, a researcher at the Feed Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told First Financial that public concern has shifted. Canthaxanthin has been used globally since 1984, is non-staining for mammals, and has antioxidant properties besides coloring. It is harmless and beneficial for hens, chicks, and humans. Over the years, there have been no standards for canthaxanthin in finished eggs domestically, nor efforts to establish such standards, reflecting that it may not warrant much concern.

According to standards from the FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for canthaxanthin is 0.03 mg/kg body weight. For a 70 kg adult, that’s 2.1 mg per day. Based on Wang Hai’s detected levels, one Huang Tiane egg contains about 0.02 mg of canthaxanthin, well within safe limits.

However, Wu Shugen believes that this controversy serves as a warning to the industry. On one hand, regulatory agencies and companies should increase investment in additive research, such as distinguishing natural from artificial sources and understanding efficacy, to promote efficient and rational use of additives. On the other hand, public education should be strengthened to prevent disconnects between scientific research and popular science.

On March 16, during a live broadcast, Huang Tiane’s founder and Fengji Food Group chairman Feng Bin stated that the incident revealed a lack of standards and regulation regarding egg yolk color formation, which could motivate industry improvements. Huang Tiane plans to develop standards related to egg yolk color, providing a basis for production and regulation of naturally or artificially colored eggs and yolks.

个人送检打假不能踩红线

In recent years, sending products for testing as a form of watchdog activity has become a mainstream approach among self-media and professional watchdogs. The current incident brought significant social attention and traffic to Wang Hai’s testing, but also raised many doubts among netizens.

Wang Hai’s team reported that the testing agency (SAMCDC) is Qingdao Yuanxin Testing Technology Co., Ltd. (Qingdao Yuanxin). According to their website, the company was established in 2014, recognized by the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision (CMA), and accredited by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS). It is a third-party testing organization under Guohe General Testing Evaluation Certification Co., Ltd.

The report provided by Wang Hai’s team for Huang Tiane eggs shows that the only tested item is canthaxanthin, with the conclusion stating, “According to client requirements, only testing data is provided,” without specifying the source of canthaxanthin.

This has led to polarized opinions online. Some believe that consumers lack the ability to distinguish and that testing protects their interests. Others criticize that Wang Hai’s team detected canthaxanthin but did not clarify its source, yet declared it as artificial addition, which could unfairly damage the brand. Some also question whether professional testing is purely for public interest or has other motives.

Lawyer Xu Hao from Beijing Jingshi Law Firm told First Financial that personal testing and watchdog activities are lawful and reasonable when within legal boundaries. However, crossing legal lines can turn social supervision into illegal infringement. Under the “Consumer Rights Protection Law” and “Food Safety Law,” objective testing can fill regulatory gaps and promote compliance, but rights must not be abused. Many behaviors, such as unnotarized sampling, misinterpretation of data, equating trace amounts with illegal addition, exaggerating risks for traffic, or fabricating facts, can violate laws like the Civil Code and Anti-Unfair Competition Law. Using exposure as leverage to extort money also violates criminal law.

Xu Hao advised that individuals conducting testing should adhere to compliance, ensure genuine consumption, keep full records, and choose qualified institutions. Data should be objectively presented without illegal characterizations; otherwise, they risk legal consequences.