Outlet Selling Human Breast Milk At Rs 500 For 100 ml Sealed In Chennai

An outlet that sold human breast milk at Rs 500 for 100 ml has been sealed by the Food Safety and Standards Authorities Of India in Chennai and samples have been seized for scientific investigation. 

Officials said the outlet had been under watch for ten days following a complaint over the alleged sale of human milk. Though no sale occurred during the period, a surprise visit on Friday led to a stock of human breast milk being recovered. Dr M Jagadish Chandra Bose,  Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, Tiruvallur, told NDTV, "One batch of 100 ml bottles said pasteurised human breast milk and another had the names of the donor mothers". 

"We don't know what procedure they adopted to pasteurise the milk. We will take further action after investigation," he added.

Following complaints that mothers' milk was being sold in the open market, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had issued an advisory earlier this month and warned that activities related to the commercialisation of human milk and its products be immediately stopped.

"This office is in receipt of representations from various registered societies regarding the commercialisation of human milk and its products. In this regard, it may be noted that FSSAI has not permitted the processing and/or sale of human milk under FSS Act 2006 and rules/regulations made thereunder," the May 24 advisory said. 

Dr Bose said that, in case of neo-natal newborns requiring human milk, it is collected and given to the infants under the advice and supervision of doctors. 

In an interview with a Tamil news channel, the person in charge of the outlet said they had stopped the sale of human milk a few weeks ago upon learning it was illegal. He claimed to have obtained the milk from mothers in hospitals. Authorities have said they are investigating this angle as well.