Safe festivities: Step up food safety checks on dairy analogues, FSSAI directs States

Food adulteration has remained a serious threat to public health as it leads to severe health issues, including food poisoning, organ damage, and even long-term diseases like cancer. The menace of adulteration usually spikes during festive seasons due to the surge in demand for sweets, dairy products, and snacks.

Unscrupulous traders exploit this rush by using cheap, toxic substitutes like synthetic milk, artificial colors, and non-edible oils to maximize profits.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recently directed all States and Union Territories (UTs) to step up surveillance on Dairy Analogues throughout the month of March, keeping in view the ongoing festive season. 

“Keeping in view the increased consumption of dairy products during the festive season, the ongoing surveillance will remain focused on Dairy analogues this month,” FSSAI directions read.

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What The Directives Say..

As per the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, Dairy Analogues are products where non-milk constituents replace milk components partially or entirely but resemble milk or milk products in appearance, texture, and functionality. 

Dairy Analogues are NOT considered milk, milk products, or composite milk products. When standardized milk products are compositionally altered by replacing major milk constituents like milk fat or milk protein with vegetable oil, fat, or protein, the resulting product is classified as an Analogue.

What Is Dairy Analogue? 

“Dairy Analogue” is defined under FSSAI regulation as a product in which constituents not derived from milk take the place, in part or in whole, of any milk constituent(s) and the final product resembles, organoleptically and/or functionally, milk or milk product or composite milk product as defined in these regulations. As per Sub-Regulation 2.1.1.3(f) of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, non-dairy products must not be misrepresented as milk or milk-based.

“Given the ongoing concerns about the standards and labelling of Dairy Analogue products, as well as their misrepresentation as dairy products, FSSAI has directed all State authorities to conduct rigorous testing and label examinations to ensure compliance with regulations and prevent consumer deception,” the directive added.