Remove A1, A2 Claims From Milk And Milk Products: Food Authority's Latest Order

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed all food businesses to remove claims of A1 and A2 types from the packaging of milk and milk products, reported ANI. The directive also applies to e-commerce Food Business Operators (FBOs), who are instructed to remove all such claims from their websites immediately. In its latest release, FSSAI noted that several Food Business Operators are selling or marketing milk and milk products such as ghee, butter, curd etc in the name of A1 and A2 under the FSSAI license number and Registration Certificate Number.

For the unversed, A1 and A2 are two types of proteins in milk. Milk is a good source of protein and there are two major proteins in milk - casein and whey. Casein is the largest group of proteins in milk. Now, there are several types of casein in milk. Beta-casein is the second most prevalent type of casein and exists in at least 13 different forms. The two most common forms are A1 beta-casein and A2 beta-casein. 

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FSSAI emphasised that the standards of milk as specified in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, do not mention or recognise any differentiation of milk based on A1 and A2 types, reported ANI.

The Food safety regulator added that the use of any A2 claims on milk fat products is misleading and not in conformance with the provisions laid down under the FSS Act, 2006, and regulations made thereunder.

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"The FBOs are instructed to remove such claims from their products. E-commerce FBOs are instructed to remove all the claims related to A1 and A2 proteins from their websites immediately," the release dated August 21 mentioned.

"Further, the concerned FBOs shall ensure strict compliance of the same with effect from the date of issuance of this direction," the release continued. The FBOs are permitted to exhaust the available pre-printed labels within six months from the date of issuance of this direction. No further extension and timeline will be granted to any FBO, the release added.