Lok Sabha Question No. 4009 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-24
Subject: National Milk Safety Standards
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Jual Oram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4009 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th  MARCH, 2023

## NATIONAL MILK SAFETY STANDARDS

## 4009. SHRI JUAL ORAM:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  decided  to  come  out  with  new  National  Milk  Safety Standards in the country in view of the increasing incidents of milk adulteration; (b)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  new  safety  standards  that  the  Government  has  unveiled;  and (c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ensure that adulterated milk is not available in the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a)  to  (c):  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  was  established  in  2008 under  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Act,  2006  primarily  for  laying  down  science  based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

FSSAI has established internationally benchmarked standards and practices for milk and milk products largely harmonized with the Codex Alimentarius. These standards for milk and  milk  products  specified  in  Food  Safety  and  Standards  (Food  Products  Standards  and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 include description, composition, quality factors, hygiene requirements, permitted  food additives, specific labelling requirements and microbiological standards that provide a scientific basis for ensuring safety, quality and integrity of milk and milk products. These standards are reviewed and revised, if required.

Implementation and enforcement of these standards primarily lies with the State/UT Governments.  Regular  surveillance,  monitoring,  inspection  and  sampling  of  food  products from all sources i.e. manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, transporters, retail markets etc. are carried out by Food Safety Officers of States/UTs and in cases of non-compliance, penal action is taken against the defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) as per the provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Rules and Regulations.

In order to address the gaps in the food safety eco-system of States/UTs and to ensure safe  and  wholesome  food  through  pooling  of  technical  knowledge  and  best  practices  as  a shared responsibility, FSSAI has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with States/ UTs to extend both technical and financial support to the States/UT Governments. FSSAI has extended financial support to States/UTs under a Central Sector Scheme for strengthening of food  testing  infrastructure.  FSSAI  has  regularly  urged  States/UTs  to  carry  out  targeted enforcement and surveillance drive to check adulteration in food products. For on the spot testing  of  adulterants  in  milk  and  milk  products  particularly  in  remote  areas,  mobile  food testing laboratories equipped with rapid milk analyser have been provided to the States/UTs.

FSSAI  has  set  up  Food  Safety  Training  &  Certification  (FoSTaC)  ecosystem  for widespread and effective delivery of food safety training to food businesses including dairy businesses across the value chain.

To check on the problem of milk adulteration in the country, FSSAI has advised the food safety authorities in States/ UTs to maintain a strict vigil on milk chilling units, intensify surveillance during festive seasons, follow a policy of periodic transfers in respect of FSOs and  generate  local  intelligence  regarding  the  malpractices  and  strengthen  testing  and enforcement infrastructure both physical as well as human.

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