In recent years, there has been a growing trend in the market for dairy products labelled as A1 or A2. These labels refer to the type of protein present in milk, and have become a topic of debate and confusion among consumers. As a result, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has stepped in to provide guidelines and directives to companies on the use of A1 and A2 labelling on dairy products.
What is A1 and A2 labeling on dairy products?
First, let’s understand what A1 and A2 refer to in relation to dairy products. Milk contains two types of beta-casein protein: A1 and A2. These proteins are crucial for building and repairing body tissues, but they differ in their composition, which varies depending on the breed of cow. The key difference between these two proteins lies in a single amino acid: proline. A1 protein contains proline, while A2 protein does not.
FSSAI Guidelines
Food safety regulator FSSAI on Thursday directed food companies, including e-commerce companies, to remove claims of “A1” and “A2” types of milk and milk products from packaging, terming such labelling as misleading.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said these claims are not in compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
In its latest order, the FSSAI said it had examined the issue and found that the differentiation between A1 and A2 is related to the structure of the beta-casein protein in milk. However, the current FSSAI norms do not recognise this differentiation.
“FBOs are instructed to remove such claims from their products,” the regulator said, referring to food business operators.
E-commerce platforms have also been asked to remove these claims from products and websites immediately. Companies have been given six months to use up the pre-printed labels, with no further extensions granted.
The regulator stressed the strict compliance with this directive.
Welcoming the order, Parag Milk Foods Chairman Devendra Shah said the FSSAI order is a step in the right direction. “A1 and A2 are the categories developed through marketing gimmicks. It is essential that we remove misleading claims that can misinform consumers,” he said in a separate statement.
“The A1 or A2 dairy category never existed and globally this trend is disappearing,” he said, adding that the FSSAI’s clarification supports this broader understanding.
(With PTI inputs)
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