India Drafts the New Standards for Dairy Products, Involving Low Lactose Milk, Dairy Permeate Powder and Cheese

On Sep. 3^rd, 2020, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) unveiled the sixth amendment to Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2020, which included the requirements for low lactose/lactose free milk, mozzarella cheese, and dairy permeate powders. It came into force from the date of promulgation, and food business operators shall comply with all these requirements by Jul. 1^st, 2021.

Here are some key points:

• "Low lactose milk" shall have less than 1% lactose and “Lactose free milk” shall have less than 0.1% lactose. In terms of the labeling, the product name could be “Low Lactose/Lactose Free___ milk” and the milk source will be filled in the blank.

• The definition of mozzarella cheese is added in the updated standard.

• The standard specifies the raw materials, permitted ingredients and composition for dairy permeate powders, whey permeate powder and milk permeate powder.
  

  It is allowed to use safe and suitable processing aids under condition of good manufacturing practices, and the product should conform to the requirements specified for milk powders. In addition, the product name should be “lactose-rich deproteinized ___ permeate powder” where the blank may be filled with the substance appropriate to the product.

Please click here for the detailed revision (Official FSSAI notification).