FSSAI directs FBOs and E-commerce platforms to remove A1, A2 milk labels

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed food business operators (FBOs) and e-commerce platforms to remove all references to A1 and A2 milk types from their packaging, as per the official statement.

The FSSAI noted that several FBOs have been selling/marketing milk and milk products like ghee, butter, and curd, etc. under the labels A1 and A2, using their FSSAI licence number. The regulator explained that the distinction between A1 and A2 milk is based on a variation in the protein structure, specifically beta-casein, but current regulations do not acknowledge such a classification.

As a result, any claims about A2 milk on milk fat products are considered misleading and non-compliant with the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, and its regulations, according to the FSSAI order. The order instructed the FBOs to comply with the directive immediately. While FBOs are allowed to use existing pre-printed labels for up to six months from the date of issuance of the directive, no extensions will be granted beyond this period.

Industry representatives welcomed the decision, saying it would enhance transparency and accuracy in dairy product labelling. Devendra Shah, chairman of Parag Milk Foods, emphasised the importance of eliminating misleading claims, noting that the A1 and A2 milk distinction is more of a marketing strategy than a scientifically backed classification.

R. S. Sodhi, President, Indian Dairy Association shared via X, “Food and dairy companies are not allowed to claim A1 or A2 on milk or products. This is a landmark notification by the @fssaiindia to protect consumers from unscientific claims by food/dairy companies regarding the superiority of A2 milk, ghee, or products over A1 milk/products."

Recently on August 18, the FSSAI initiated a project in New Delhi aimed at addressing the issue of microplastic contamination in food. The project, “Micro-and Nano-Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding the Prevalence in Different Food Matrices,” which began in March, focuses on developing and validating methods to detect micro and nano-plastics in various foods. It also aims to assess how widespread these contaminants are and the levels of exposure in India.

Key goals of the initiative include creating standard procedures for analysing micro/nano-plastics, comparing results across different laboratories, and gathering important data on how much microplastic consumers are exposed to.

A recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) noted that microplastics have been found in common foods like sugar and salt.