Food safety regulator FSSAI on Monday withdrew its recent advisory that directed food businesses to remove claims of ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ types of milk and milk products from packaging.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said the advisory has been withdrawn pending further consultation with stakeholders. This would mean that food business operators (FBOs) can continue to sell and market their products with ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ type of milk claims.
A1 and A2 milk have different beta-casein protein structures, which vary depending on the breed of cow.
In a fresh consultation issued on Monday, the regulator said, “The consultation of August 21, 2024… is withdrawn for further consultation and engagement with stakeholders”.
FSSAI, in its advisory issued on August 21, had asked FBOs to remove the ‘A1 and A2’ claims from their products. E-commerce platforms were also asked to immediately remove these claims from products and websites.
The regulator had said that the claims for ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ type milk and milk products were not in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
After investigation, FSSAI found that the differentiation of A1 and A2 is linked to the structure of beta-casein protein in milk. However, current FSSAI regulations do not recognize this differentiation.
The August 21 consultation also asked FBOs to phase out the use of pre-printed labels within six months, with no additional time to be given.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a wire agency feed, no changes have been made to the text. Only the headline has been changed.