Understanding FSSAI Milk Product Standards

Milk is a dairy product that is consumed by many different people all over the world, and it is loved for good reasons because of the nutrients that it contains and its uses. In India, the authority responsible for the direction, coordination, and regulation of the certification of food safety and standards is the FSSAI for milk and dairy products.

FSSAI has divided dairy products into various categories, and here are some of the basic categories of dairy products, dairy requirements, and dairy standards. No matter whether you are a dairy lover or involved in the food processing industry, the information provided by FSSAI always gives you an insight.

1. The Basics: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, more commonly known as FSSAI, is under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Its main function is to protect consumers through matters of food safety and quality, and this involves standardising milk and dairy products. FSSAI has regulations on labeling as well as processing to make certain that customers get healthy and standard products.

2. Categories of Milk Products: FSSAI classifies milk products into several categories, each with its own specific standards:

Raw Milk: This is the whole, raw form of milk that is derived from cows or buffalo. To some extent, raw milk is also regulated by FSSAI norms, wherein the milk is passed through a strict quality check to ensure that it does not contain any pathogens or is free from any contamination.

Pasteurized Milk: This type of milk is pasteurized with a view of eliminating pathogenic bacteria from it without compromising on nutrition.

Homogenized Milk: Homogenization is the action of reducing the fat globules in order to have no opportunity to form a cream layer. This type of milk is produced by a particular process so as to obtain a uniform texture and taste of the milk. FSSAI standards mean that homogenized milk must meet some fat and protein content standards.

Sterilized Milk: Sterilized milk is treated to eliminate all bacteria, making it shelf-stable without refrigeration. FSSAI sets standards for sterilization processes to ensure that the milk remains safe and nutritious over its shelf life.

3. Some of the other benchmarks and quality thresholds include the following:

The standards prescribed by FSSAI for milk and milk products have factors of safety, quality, and nutrition. Key parameters include:

Nutritional Composition: Standards lay down minimum and maximum limits of fat and protein as well as other nutrients in various types of milk and dairy products.

Labeling Requirements: It is very important to make the right labels so that consumer awareness is realized. FSSAI regulations give or specify passage on a label to help the buyer with information regard to the product, the ingredients used, nutritional value, and the period of expiry.

Processing Methods: People have to meet certain procedures to process milk as stipulated by FSSAI so as to have standard milk that has not been contaminated in any way. This ranges from the processes of pasteurization and homogenization to sterilization procedures.

4. Looking Ahead: Is there a future for dairy standards?

Having realized that consumers’ tastes and technologies change from time to time, FSSAI has been enforcing standards and gradually improving on them to meet changes in the dairy industry. All in all, the awareness of such changes benefits both the producers and customers of milk and dairy goods.

CONCLUSION

The FSSAI categorization and standards for milk products are the following –

Make sure that what you find yourself putting in your glass, in addition to being tasty, is safer and better for you. But in getting to know these regulations, one will be able to appreciate the quality and safety standards of the dairy products and the effort in trying to maintain these standards.

Pravarsha is the epitome of purity and standards in the world of milk. For the best dairy products in Hyderabad and get home delivery of dairy products, install the Pravarsha App and order hassle-free today!