**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to Unstarred Question No. 1111 in Lok Sabha, scheduled for December 5th, 2025. The question concerns the adulteration of milk and milk products and the Government's measures to address this issue. It outlines the role of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in regulating food standards and enforcement activities.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **FSSAI Mandate:**
* FSSAI is responsible for setting science-based standards for food articles, including regulating manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import to ensure safe food for human consumption.
* **Enforcement and Surveillance:**
* FSSAI, through State/UT authorities, regional offices, and food safety departments, conducts regular localized or targeted enforcement and surveillance activities.
* Regulatory and punitive actions are taken against Food Business Operators (FBOs) who violate standards or FSSR, as per the FSS Act, 2006.
* FSSAI has implemented a Risk Based Inspections System (RBIS) focusing on high-risk food categories such as milk and milk products.
* **Awareness Initiatives:**
* **Website and Social Media:** Provides accessible information on food safety standards, regulations, and home adulterant detection tips.
* **Adulteration Videos:** Visual demonstrations of methods to identify adulteration in common foods, available on the FSSAI YouTube channel.
* **DART Book:** Provides simple tests for detecting food adulterants at home.
* **Food Safety Magic Box:** An educational toolkit for school students, teachers, and parents, containing easy-to-use food adulteration tests.
* **Food Safety on Wheels (FSWs):** Mobile food testing laboratories deployed to reach remote areas for food testing and awareness.
* **Food Safety Guidebook for Teachers/Students:** A lesson plan booklet providing detailed information on conducting food adulteration tests.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Consumers**
* **Impact:** Increased awareness of food safety issues, particularly regarding adulteration in milk and milk products. Access to information and tools for detecting adulterants at home.
* **Action Required:** Utilize available resources (website, social media, videos, DART Book) to educate themselves on food safety and adulteration detection methods.
**Stakeholder: Food Business Operators (FBOs)**
* **Impact:** Increased scrutiny through the Risk Based Inspections System (RBIS) and potential for regulatory and punitive actions if standards or FSSR are violated.
* **Action Required:** Ensure compliance with FSSAI standards and FSSR to avoid penalties and maintain food safety.
**Stakeholder: State/UT Authorities, Regional Offices, and Food Safety Departments**
* **Impact:** Responsibility for conducting regular localized or targeted enforcement and surveillance activities.
* **Action Required:** Enforce FSSAI standards and FSSR through inspections, testing, and taking appropriate action against non-compliant FBOs.
**Stakeholder: Schools, Teachers, and Parents**
* **Impact:** Providing resources for detecting adulteration.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the Food Safety Magic Box and Food Safety Guidebook for Teachers/Students to educate students and increase awareness of food safety.
Key Entities Referenced
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): The primary regulator mandated to lay down science-based standards for food articles and regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: The primary legislation providing the framework for food safety regulation in India.
Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR): Regulations under the FSS Act, which establish standards, limits, and other statutory requirements for food safety.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The government ministry responsible for overseeing food safety and the FSSAI.
#NoToAdulteration: Social media campaign to educate people about adulteration and promote food safety consciousness.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.1111
TO BE ANSWEREDON5TH DECEMBER, 2025
ADULTERATION OFMILK AND MILK PRODUCTS
1111. SHRI GURMEETSINGH MEET HAYER:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a) whether the Government is aware that adulteration of milk and milk products has been a
growing concern, posing significant health risks to consumers in the country and if so, the
details thereof;
(b) whether the Government is taking any measures to combat this issue and ifso, the details
thereof; and
(c) the stepstaken/proposed to be taken to strengthen monitoring, enforcement and
awareness initiatives to ensure the safety and quality of milk and milk products across the
country?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (c): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay 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.
For ensuring compliance with the prescribed standards, limits, and other statutory
requirements under the FSS Act and Food Safety and Standards Regulations (FSSR), FSSAI
through State/UT authorities, regional offices, and food safety departments undertakes regular
localized or targeted enforcement and surveillance activities. Whenever deviations from
standards or violations of FSSR are detected, appropriate regulatory and punitive actions have
been taken against the defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) as per the provisions of the
FSSAct, 2006andthe rulesmade thereunder.FSSAIhasstarted Risk Based Inspections System(RBIS)wherein inspections plannedon
the risk associated with the FoodBusinesses. Thisenablesthe authorities tocarryout inspections
of high risk food categories such as milk and milk products, prepared food in more intensive
manner.
FSSAI hasimplemented following initiatives toraise awareness about food safety among
consumers, the food industry, andcitizens:-
i. WebsiteandSocial Media: FSSAI’swebsite andSocial Media pagesprovide accessible
information on Standards/Regulations/Advisories related to Food Safety and on
detecting food adulterants at home, offering practical tips for consumers. Social media
campaign “#NoToAdulteration” is carried out to educate people about adulteration and
promote food safety consciousness andhealthy eatinghabitsacross citizen.
ii. Adulteration Videos: FSSAI has produced a series of videos that visually demonstrate
methods for identifying adulteration in commonly used foods. These are availableon the
FSSAI YouTube channeland promoted on various other media platformslike Instagram,
Twitter, Facebook time to time and are showcased at various public events and
campaigns.
iii. Resources like the DARTBook offer simple tests for detectingfood adulterants at home.
iv. Food Safety Magic Box: This educational toolkit is designed for school students,
teachers and parents, containing easy-to-use tests for detecting food adulteration through
aninteractiveandengagingway forstudents tolearnaboutfoodsafety.
v. FoodSafety on Wheels(FSWs) or mobile food testing laboratoriesare deployed toreach
remote areasandforconductingfoodtesting andraisingawareness.
vi. Food Safety Guidebook for Teachers/Students: The lesson plan booklet provides with
the detailed information of how to conduct the different test on food adulteration. These
testsare mappedacrossthecurriculumofthe particulargrade.
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