Overview
- Late June reports said the West Bengal government plans to remove eggs from certain mid‑day meals in Kolkata Municipal Corporation schools and engage ISKCON to provide cooked meals.
- An ISKCON Kolkata spokesperson posted that 100 g of dry soya chunks contain 52–54 g of protein and compared that figure with eggs, a claim that spread widely on social media.
- Nutritionists and fact‑checkers confirmed the raw protein numbers for dry soya and eggs are accurate but said those per‑100 g figures are misleading without noting dry versus cooked weight and typical serving sizes.
- Experts stressed that eggs supply complete, highly bioavailable protein plus large amounts of choline—nutrients important for child brain development—that no single vegetarian food matches on its own.
- ISKCON put the spokesperson on compulsory leave after the backlash and health sources say any menu change should be matched by planned vegetarian combinations, proper portioning and monitoring to protect child nutrition.