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Food Regulator's Clarification On Milk Products; Orders Removal of A1, A2 Claims

The clarification emphasises the requirement to obtain a SSAI license number or registration certificate number for selling or marketing these products,

milk product - India Edited by Updated: Aug 22, 2024, 8:30 pm
Food Regulator's Clarification On Milk Products; Orders Removal of A1, A2 Claims

Food Safety Regulator Issues Clarification On Milk Products; Orders Removal of A1, A2 Claims (Photo @Pixabay)

In an attempt to ensure compliance with food safety standards and regulations, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) today issued a clarification on the marketing of milk and its products like ghee and butter under the categories of A1 and A2.

The clarification emphasises the requirement to obtain a SSAI license number or registration certificate number for selling or marketing these products, news agency ANI reported. The release issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, said that it found that several food business operators are selling and marketing milk products in the name of A1 and A2 under FSSAI license number.

 

The FSSAI also said the use of any A2 claims in milk products do not conform with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. In its latest order, FSSAI said it had examined the issue and found that A1 and A2 differentiation is linked to the structure of beta-casein protein in milk.

Companies have been given six months to exhaust pre-printed labels, with no further extensions to be granted. A1 and A2 milk differ in their beta-casein protein composition, which varies based on cow breed. The regulator emphasized strict compliance with this directive.

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As a country where many are vegetarians, milk products are the major source of nutrition, and ensuring the safety of the products being sold is essential for public health. Notably, in India, there have been reports of increasing instances of adulterated milk being sold in the market.

In 2020, media house The Hindu, referring to a study conducted by the Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI), reported that “79% of branded or loose milk available in the market is adulterated.”  In 2024, a report by The Indian Express revealed that out of 1,400 milk samples collected in 2022-23, 497 were found to be non-conforming for food safety and adulterated in Punjab.

In 2023, the government issued a release in response to an alleged fake media report that cited a WHO advisory to the Government of India saying that if adulteration of milk and milk products is not checked immediately, 87% of citizens would be suffering from serious diseases like cancer by the year 2025.
The release had further highlighted that the quality of milk and milk products to be sold in the market is governed by FSSAI. It also stated that during the last nation-wide National Milk Safety and Quality Survey (NMQS-2018) conducted by FSSAI, out of 6,432 samples of milk taken, only 12 samples (0.19%) were found adulterated, rendering the milk unsafe for human consumption.

In May this year, the FSSAI issued a stern warning against the commercialization of mother’s milk, stating that selling human milk and its products was not permitted in the country.

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According to studies, the adulterated milk can caused several diseases including food poisoning, gastrointestinal complications, impairments, heart problems, among others.

 

 

 

 

Topics
butter clarification dangers of adulterated milk food safety ghee India milk adulteration Milk adulteration milk marketing milk product - India The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

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