Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is the principal authority responsible for regulating and overseeing food safety standards across India. A crucial aspect of its mandate is ensuring the integrity and safety of dairy products for consumers in the country.

Important Events

FSSAI has been at the forefront of implementing several regulations to enhance the quality of dairy products. Notably, the organization mandated that cheese-like products be labeled as cheese analogues to prevent consumer confusion with authentic paneer. This decision followed the discovery that 83% of paneer samples failed safety tests, leading to the seizure and destruction of 550 kg of adulterated paneer by the Noida Food Safety Department.

Furthermore, FSSAI has imposed fines on Heritage Foods Limited due to product quality issues. The Delhi High Court has limited FSSAI's jurisdiction to human-centric regulations, excluding animal feed. Notices have been issued to companies such as Param Dairy Limited and Bikanervala to address hygiene and compliance issues.

In another regulatory action, FSSAI prohibited Dabur India from using '100 percent' purity claims on products like cow ghee and honey, due to violations of the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising & Claims) Regulations, 2018. Additionally, a Nestle India low-fat dairy whitener sample was declared unsafe and substandard by FSSAI, with results publicized on social media.

Company Plans

FSSAI remains committed to enforcing stringent regulations to ensure consumer safety and uphold food product integrity. The organization is actively revising guidelines to address new food safety challenges and has launched a nationwide campaign against dairy fraud. This initiative includes the deployment of 'Food Safety on Wheels'—mobile testing laboratories across Indian markets for rapid testing and promotion of testing kits.

State food safety commissioners have been tasked with taking strict legal actions against violators. To enhance traceability in India's milk supply chain, independent milk producers and vendors are now required to register or obtain a food business license. Following an adulteration incident, mandatory licensing was enforced in the East Godavari district for dairy stakeholders.

FSSAI is also tackling digital misinformation about milk quality by initiating legal actions against social media influencers spreading false information. The organization is moving towards a 'Risk-Based Inspection' system to facilitate inspections for compliant processors and tighten regulations on independent vendors. A significant operation intercepted unbranded and unrefrigerated tankers carrying suspected adulterated milk, with samples collected for laboratory analysis.

The authority continues its nationwide surveillance of milk quality in collaboration with State Food Safety Authorities to ensure compliance with safety standards. FSSAI regulates paneer production standards in India, mandating that paneer be made solely from milk, without added starch, non-dairy fats, or synthetic substances. As part of a broader regulatory effort against analogue dairy products, FSSAI has instructed manufacturers and food service establishments to disclose the use of non-dairy substitutes to consumers.

India’s food regulator is also considering nationwide rules to prohibit analogue paneer. According to FSSAI's CEO, Rajit Punhani, the organization is examining a central regulation for analogue paneer, addressing standards, labeling, and enforcement across states. Additionally, FSSAI is preparing separate draft rules for foods high in fat, sugar, and salt.