FSSAI orders removal of A1 and A2 milk claims from products

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has found that these claims are not in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

New Delhi: Food safety watchdog FSSAI on Thursday ordered food businesses, including e-commerce players, to remove “A1” and “A2” designations for milk and milk products from their packaging, calling such labelling misleading.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said the claims were not in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

In its latest order, the FSSAI said it had investigated the issue and found that the differentiation between A1 and A2 is linked to the structure of beta-casein protein in milk.

However, the current FSSAI regulations do not recognise this distinction.

“Food businesses are required to remove such claims from their products,” the regulator said, referring to food businesses.

E-commerce platforms have also been ordered to immediately remove these claims from their products and websites.

Businesses have six months to use previously printed labels. No further extension is planned.

A1 and A2 milks differ in their beta-casein protein composition, which varies depending on the cow breed.

The regulatory body stressed the need for strict compliance with this directive.

Parag Milk Foods Chairman Devendra Shah, welcoming the FSSAI regulation, said it was a step in the right direction.

“A1 and A2 are categories that have been developed through marketing ploys. …It is essential to eliminate misleading claims that can misinform consumers,” he said in a separate statement.

He added that the A1 and A2 dairy product category never existed and this trend is fading globally and the FSSAI clarification confirms this broader understanding.