New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) – Food safety regulator FSSAI on Monday withdrew its recent advisory directing food companies to remove claims regarding ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ grades of milk and milk products from their 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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said the advisory has been withdrawn pending further consultation with stakeholders.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 using the name ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ milk.

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

In a new communication on Monday, the regulator said: “The communication dated 21 August 2024 … is withdrawn for further consultations and discussions with stakeholders.”

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The FSSAI, in its statement dated August 21, had asked FBOs to remove the claims ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ from their products. E-commerce platforms were also asked to immediately remove these claims from products and websites.

The regulator had stated that the information provided on milk and milk products of the ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ types did not comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

After an investigation, the FSSAI found that the differentiation between A1 and A2 is related to the structure of beta-casein protein in milk. However, the current FSSAI regulations do not recognize this differentiation.

The August 21 recommendation also asked FBOs to use up pre-printed labels within six months. No further extensions could be granted.

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