National Milk Day: FSSAI launches 12-point action plan to ensure safety and quality of dairy products

Following a survey which revealed that 7% milk samples had contaminants or adulterants that rendered such milk unsafe, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has come up with a 12-point action plan to ensure safety and quality of milk and milk products.

The action plan, released on the occasion of ‘National Milk Day’, has been drawn following two surveys on milk and milk products. The actions are broadly in three areas including testing and continued surveillance; preventive and corrective action for implementation and monitoring; and consumer engagement.

Earlier, the FSSAI had released the national milk safety and quality survey report which revealed that only 7% milk samples had contaminants or adulterants that rendered such milk unsafe. The FSSAI also carried out a survey on milk products under which the results of 399 samples analyzed so far out of total 1048 indicate quality and hygiene concerns in milk products. 

Major quality concern observed is adulteration with vegetable/animal fats with no concern about presence of heavy metal contaminants, the FSSAI said in a statement. 

Microbiological concern observed relates to poor hygiene, while no bacterial pathogens have been found, it added. 

Under the action plan to ensure safety and quality of milk and milk products in the country, FSSAI has provided several rapid testing and high-end precision test equipment to States/UTs. These equipment will be used for testing and continued surveillance and to upgrade testing infrastructure.

"In addition, FSSAI has notified NABL accredited private and other public food laboratories for primary, regulatory and surveillance testing which can be used by the States/UTs to complement testing by the state laboratories," it said. 

As aflatoxin-M1 and antibiotic residues emerged as a major contaminant in milk, various preventive and corrective action are proposed for the stakeholders in milk sector including the need for extensive capacity building at primary production levels for following Good Dairy Farming Practices through focused training programs in the areas of animal husbandry, animal health and Feed and nutrition.

As for the proportion of fat and solid non-fat (SNF), which varies widely by species and depends on breed as well as the quality of feed and fodder, it can be improved by proper feeding of Cattle and adopting good farm practices.

The milk survey had revealed that even processed milk has both quality and safety concerns which is a serious matter. 

"In this regard, FSSAI has developed and released a harmonized Scheme of Testing and Inspection (STI) to be adopted by dairy processing plants for the purpose of monitoring and self-compliance throughout their production chain in order to strengthen their internal controls," the authority said. 

"FSSAI also emphasizes the dairy plants to undertake fortification of milk with Vitamins A and D which are lost during processing. Since milk is consumed by all population groups, fortification of milk with specified micronutrients is a good strategy to address micronutrient malnutrition," it said. 

To build up the trust of consumers in safety and quality of milk, consumer awareness and engagement programs will be organized throughout the country. 

To address the unorganized sector which has a major share and to address the issue of raw milk quality, FSSAI would launch a “Verified Milk Vendors Scheme” where milk vendors can voluntarily register through online registration portal and would be provided photo-identity card and properly calibrated lactometer. 

"Trainings would be imparted on clean milk practices with periodic sampling and testing of their milk. The hot spot areas identified would help stringent enforcement/surveillance activities. Food Safety Mitras will also be given a mandate to facilitate registration of these vendors at a very nominal cost. A dedicated portal will be created to facilitate these actions," FSSAI said. 

In order to implement the action plan effectively, regional workshops would be organized jointly by FSSAI, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), NDDB, NDRI and food safety departments of the States/UTs, it said.