Dr. Surender S Ghonkrokta
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has withdrawn its advisory on removing A1 and A2 claims from milk and milk products. The earlier circular issued only 4 days earlier had directed food business operators to not make claims regarding the difference between A1 and A2 milk. Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had directed food businesses, including e-commerce platforms, to eliminate or remove all claims regarding ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ types of milk and milk products from their packaging. The regulator deemed such labelling misleading and inconsistent with the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006. There are provisions in the act which empowers FSSAI to take action for any violation of its standards/ regulations. FSSAI has been doing the same through its officers in states/ field in number of products. If FSSAI was convinced of the violations, there was no need for issuance this circular/ advisory. As per the circular the differences in the A1 and A2 milk is essentially linked to the structure of protein (beta casein) and hence any A2 claim on fat product is misleading/ not in conformity with the FSS Act,2006. The product mentioned in the circular are ghee, butter, curd etc. Many of the products like curd etc. are not fat based and also traces of proteins cannot be ruled out from rest of the products also. This circular had generated a debate among consumers that if such difference does exist, should not FSSAI recognize the same in its standards. It is not that such milk is being sold in India. These differences in proteins have been recognized and accepted by the western world also. Moreover, our desi cow breeds are rich source of A2 milk. Why should be loose this position of advantage? In fact such differences, especially if proven studies exist to substantiate the claim for A2 milk, must not only be protected but promoted. This new decision of FSSAI, which is claimed to have been arrived at after further consultation and engagement with stakeholders, now explicitly allows food businesses to continue using these labels. This is a welcome step as otherwise, foreign and big companies are driving their agenda of promoting junk foods at the cost of healthy traditional foods in India. Bharat has to wake up and fight such exploitation.