The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has officially withdrawn its recent directive that required food businesses to remove claims related to ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ types of milk and milk products from their packaging. This reversal permits companies to continue marketing these claims while further consultations with stakeholders are conducted.
The FSSAI’s initial advisory, issued on August 21, 2024, mandated that food business operators (FBOs) eliminate all references to ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ milk from their products. E-commerce platforms were also instructed to remove these claims from their listings immediately. The advisory was based on the FSSAI’s finding that the differentiation between A1 and A2 milk, which relates to variations in the beta-casein protein based on cow breed, does not align with current regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Following the withdrawal, FBOs are now allowed to continue selling and marketing products with ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ claims. The FSSAI has indicated that the decision to retract the advisory is aimed at facilitating further discussion and engagement with relevant stakeholders.
In the previous advisory, the FSSAI had also instructed businesses to exhaust pre-printed labels containing ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ claims within six months, without any extension. However, this requirement is now on hold pending further consultation.