India’s food regulatory body has withdrawn its recent advisory that directed food businesses to remove claims regarding A1 and A2 type of milk and milk products from packaging.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said the advisory has been withdrawn to allow further discussions with stakeholders. This means that food business operators (FBOs) can continue to market and sell products with A1 and A2 milk claims for the time being.

In a new advisory issued on August 26, the regulator announced, “The advisory dated August 21, 2024 has been withdrawn for further consultation and engagement with stakeholders.”

The original advisory dated August 21 directed food businesses to remove all A1 and A2 claims from their products. E-commerce platforms were also ordered to immediately remove these claims from product listings and websites.

Terming these labels as “misleading”, the food regulator said they may confuse consumers.

The regulator argued that the claims related to A1 and A2 milk and milk products were not in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

Upon investigation, FSSAI found that the differentiation between A1 and A2 is related to the structure of the beta-casein protein in milk. However, current regulations do not officially recognise this distinction.

The August 21 consultation asked companies to phase out the use of pre-printed labels within six months, and no extension would be given.

What are A1 and A2 milk products?

A1 and A2 are categories of milk products that differ in the type of protein (known as casein) found in them.

For example, A2 ghee means that the ghee is made from milk that has A2 beta-casein. A2 beta-casein depends on the breed of the cow.

While regular packaged milk contains both A1 and A2 proteins, milk with A2 protein is milder and can be tolerated better by people with sensitive gut.

(With inputs from PTI)