The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has taken a step back from its recent advisory on ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ milk labeling. In a fresh advisory issued on Monday, the regulator announced the withdrawal of its previous directive, which had mandated food businesses to remove claims of ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ milk types from their packaging. The decision to withdraw the advisory comes after further consultations with stakeholders. This implies that food businesses can now continue to market their products with claims of ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ milk.
The FSSAI’s initial advisory, issued on August 21, 2024, had directed food business operators (FBOs) to remove ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ claims from their products. E-commerce platforms were also instructed to remove these claims from their product listings and websites. The regulator had asserted that such claims do not conform with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
The FSSAI had previously stated that the differentiation between ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ milk stems from the structure of beta-casein protein found in milk. However, existing FSSAI regulations do not currently recognize this distinction. The August 21 advisory had also instructed FBOs to exhaust their pre-printed labels within six months, with no extensions granted.
The FSSAI’s decision to withdraw the advisory signifies a shift in its stance on the labeling of ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ milk. It remains to be seen how the regulator will proceed with this issue in the future.
