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On March 13, 2025, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) announced increased surveillance on dairy analogues across all States and Union Territories (UTs) for the month of March 2025. This proactive measure aims to curb food adulteration and mislabeling, which tend to rise during the festive season due to heightened demand.
Regulation of Dairy Analogues in India
According to Chapter 2.1 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, dairy analogues are defined as products in which constituents not derived from milk replace, either partially or wholly, any milk component(s). These products closely resemble milk or milk products both in terms of sensory characteristics and functionality. However, they are not considered milk, milk products, or composite milk products under the regulations.
The regulations also impose strict labeling and marketing requirements to prevent consumer deception. Non-dairy products cannot be misrepresented as milk or milk-based products through labels, commercial documents, publicity materials, or point-of-sale presentations. Exceptions exist only if explicitly provided for in FSSAI regulations. Additionally, products that contain milk or milk derivatives as an essential component may use dairy-related terminology in their descriptions, provided that non-milk constituents are not intended to replace milk components.
Declaration 1 for dairy analogues | Declaration 2 for dairy analogues |
In respect of each such constituent not derived from milk that takes place of a milk constituent in the product: “Contains ………………” Blank to be filled with name of the constituent including the source | In respect of each such milk constituent whose place is fully taken over by a constituent not derived from milk in the product: “Contains no milk ………………” Blank to be filled with name of the constituent |
To ensure transparency, the labeling of dairy analogues must include specific declarations as above. These include stating the presence of any non-milk constituent that replaces a milk component and clearly indicating when a milk constituent has been entirely substituted by a non-milk alternative.
Enforcement and Compliance Measures
To safeguard consumer interests and uphold regulatory compliance, FSSAI has instructed state authorities to conduct thorough inspections, including testing and label examination of dairy analogues. This initiative seeks to prevent misleading representations and protect consumers from potential adulteration. By reinforcing monitoring efforts, FSSAI aims to maintain food safety standards and ensure clarity in product labeling within the dairy sector.
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