Food authority withdraws recommendation to remove A1 and A2 labels from milk and dairy products
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in its advisory on August 21 had said that the claims made on Types A1 and A2 milk and milk products do not comply with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. As a result, food companies have been asked to remove Types A1 and A2 claims from their products and exhaust pre-printed labels within six months. In a new advisory on Monday, August 26, 2024, the FSSAI has now withdrawn the previous advisory to remove Types A1 and A2 claims from the packaging of milk and milk products, PTI reported.
The recommendation has been withdrawn pending further consultation with stakeholders. This means food businesses can continue to sell and market their milk and dairy products using Type A1 and A2 claims. In the new recommendation, the regulator said: “The recommendation dated 21 August 2024… is withdrawn pending further consultation and discussions with stakeholders.”
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A1 and A2 milk differ in their beta-casein protein composition, which varies depending on the breed of cow. A1 milk from western-origin cows is usually the most commonly consumed milk. However, according to studies conducted by the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), Indian cows and buffaloes such as Gir and Sahiwal produce A2 milk. A2 milk is generally considered and marketed as healthier than A1 milk, but research is ongoing.
The Food Safety Authority had previously stated that the use of A2 claims on milk fat products was misleading. E-commerce platforms were also asked to immediately remove this claim from their websites.
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After a study, the FSSAI found that the differentiation between A1 and A2 is related to the structure of beta-casein protein in milk, PTI reported. However, the current FSSAI regulations do not recognise this differentiation.