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

(Source: Shanghai Observer News)

On the eve of March 15, professional anti-fraud activist Wang Hai’s team posted a video on social media claiming that multiple brands of eggs, including Huang Tiane, tested positive for “beta-carotene,” raising suspicions of artificial coloring additives. Huang Tiane responded publicly, stating they did not use synthetic beta-carotene, and that the trace amounts detected are at natural background levels. They also announced that local market regulatory authorities had conducted on-site sampling and are awaiting official test results.

In recent years, many self-media outlets and civil organizations have conducted product testing under the guise of evaluations, sending products personally for testing and publicly sharing the results on social media to attract public attention. However, Wang Hai’s personal testing and anti-fraud approach in this beta-carotene incident has also sparked considerable controversy.

Dispute Over the Source of “Beta-Carotene”

Noticing that both parties have exchanged sharp words online multiple times, the core of the disagreement lies in the source of the beta-carotene detected in the eggs.

According to a video released by Wang Hai’s evaluation, the Huang Tiane eggs tested contained 0.399 mg/kg of beta-carotene. Later, eggs purchased from Yonghui Supermarket, also branded Huang Tiane, tested positive for 1.65 mg/kg of beta-carotene. Wang Hai posted on social media claiming that eggs from natural feed cannot contain beta-carotene and suggesting that the detected beta-carotene comes from artificial coloring added to the feed.

Huang Tiane was established in 2019, owned by Fengji Food. Since its founding, the brand has targeted the high-end egg market, emphasizing “edible raw” and “no artificial coloring” as selling points. It has received multiple rounds of funding from institutions including China International Capital Corporation (CICC) and Puru Capital, making it one of the representative brands of premium eggs domestically. As a result, Wang Hai’s claim about artificial additives has garnered widespread market attention.

In response, Huang Tiane publicly stated that beta-carotene naturally exists in algae, fungi (mushrooms), shellfish, fish, and eggs. The levels detected in Huang Tiane eggs are at natural background levels and are not artificially added. According to literature provided by Huang Tiane, a yolk color of 9 degrees requires beta-carotene levels exceeding 2 mg/kg. To achieve a yolk color of over 12 degrees, as in Huang Tiane eggs, the detected 0.399 mg/kg is far from sufficient.

Additionally, Huang Tiane explained that, from a commercial perspective, there is no motivation to add beta-carotene artificially. Such addition would not significantly enhance yolk color and would offer limited cost savings, thus not justifying the expense. Their current feed production equipment also lacks the capacity to add beta-carotene, which could cause uneven mixing and other risks.

However, Wang Hai posted on his personal social media that 100% of the beta-carotene in eggs comes from feed additives, with no natural source, and that chickens cannot synthesize beta-carotene 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 beta-carotene. He also questioned the authenticity and objectivity of Wang Hai’s testing purpose and the actual condition of the samples. For example, the product’s production date on Wang Hai’s report is December 16, 2025, but the shelf life is only 30 days, and the entire testing period (January 13-19) fully exceeds or even surpasses 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 currently awaiting official results, which will be announced promptly on their official account.

The Beta-Carotene Controversy

Public information shows that beta-carotene, also called canthaxanthin, is a carotenoid pigment widely present in nature. It is used as a food additive, nutritional supplement, or animal feed coloring agent, including in eggs. The yolk color mainly depends on the carotenoid content in the chicken’s feed.

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

At an industry forum, Ma Meihu, professor at the College of Food Science and Technology at Huazhong Agricultural University, stated that beta-carotene is widely found in algae and fungi. When hens consume natural feed, beta-carotene naturally deposits in their bodies. Experts also noted that natural extraction and synthetic beta-carotene have identical chemical structures. Routine high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) can only measure total content and cannot distinguish the source.

Wu Shugen, researcher at the Feed Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told First Financial that public concern has shifted. Beta-carotene has been used globally since 1984 as an additive. It does not stain mammals and has antioxidant properties besides coloring. It is harmless and beneficial to hens, chicks, and humans. Over the years, there have been no standards for beta-carotene in finished eggs domestically, nor efforts to establish such standards, reflecting that it may not be a significant concern.

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

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

During a live broadcast on March 16, 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.

Personal Testing and Anti-Fraud Measures Must Stay Within Legal Boundaries

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

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

The testing report provided by Wang Hai’s team for Huang Tiane eggs shows only one item tested: beta-carotene. The conclusion states, “According to the client’s request, only testing data is provided,” without specifying the source of beta-carotene.

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

Lawyer Xu Hao from Beijing Jing Shi Law Firm told reporters that personal testing for anti-fraud is lawful and reasonable but can become illegal if it crosses legal boundaries. Under the “Consumer Rights Protection Law” and “Food Safety Law,” objective testing can fill regulatory gaps and promote compliance. However, rights must not be abused. For example, unnotarized sampling, misinterpretation of data, equating trace amounts with illegal addition, or exaggerating risks for traffic can violate the “Civil Code” and “Anti-Unfair Competition Law.” Using exposure as leverage to demand high payments may also violate criminal law.

Xu Hao advised that individuals conducting testing should stay within legal limits, ensure genuine consumption, keep full records, and choose qualified institutions. Data should be presented objectively without illegal qualitative judgments. Crossing these boundaries could lead to legal risks.

Original Title: “Egg Beta-Carotene Controversy: Huang Tiane Clashes with Professional Anti-Fraud Activists Over ‘Official Inspection’ and Personal Testing Mode Under Scrutiny”

Column Editor: Jiang Zhuyun
Copy Editor: Yin Shangshengnan

Source: First Financial Client