INDIA – The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), a statutory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has directed all food businesses organizations to remove any claims related to A1 and A2 proteins from their products.
E-commerce food businesses are also required to immediately remove all such claims from their websites. However, food businesses are permitted to use up their existing pre-printed labels within six months of this notice. However, no further extensions or timelines will be granted.
This directive was issued after the approval of the Competent Authority at FSSAI. The authorising body explained that several food businesses have been marketing their milk products using claims associated with A1 and A2 types of milk, under their FSSAI License Numbers or Registration Certificate Numbers.
After thorough examination, FSSAI has determined that the differentiation between A1 and A2 milk is primarily based on the structure of a specific protein, beta-casein.
The use of A2-related claims on milk products is considered misleading and is not in line with the provisions set forth in the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act of 2006 and its associated regulations.
The FSSAI emphasizes that the existing Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, do not recognize or mention any differentiation of milk based on A1 and A2 types.
Launch of project to address microplastic contamination in Indian food
At the same time, FSSAI has launched an innovative project to tackle the growing concern of microplastic contamination in food in New Delhi. The body has recognized microplastic pollution as an emerging threat that requires immediate attention.
In a recent report, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlighted the presence of microplastics in common food items such as sugar and salt.
In response, FSSAI launched the project dubbed “Micro-and Nano-Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding the Prevalence in Different Food Matrices” – was started in March this year to develop and validate analytical methods for detecting micro and nano-plastics in various food products, as well as assess their prevalence and exposure levels in India.
The primary objectives of the project include developing standard protocols for micro/nano-plastic analysis, conducting intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons, and generating critical data on microplastic exposure levels among consumers.
This study is being implemented in collaboration with leading research institutions across the country, including the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani).
This project will help understand the extent of microplastic contamination in Indian food and guide the formulation of effective regulations and safety standards to protect public health.
It will also contribute to the global understanding of microplastic contamination, making Indian research an integral part of the global effort to combat this environmental and food safety related challenge.
