FSSAI Takes a Stand: Your Daily Glass of Milk Just Got Purer!

Many dairy producers add additives to Milk products to enhance the original texture and quality, and perhaps alter taste too, making their 'product' more attractive. However, the FSSAI has now expressed serious concerns over this matter. In a recent press release, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) clarified that protein binders, known as binding agents, (a form of protein that acts as an agent to bind two or more food molecules), are "not permitted" in Milk and Milk products.

However, there are some exceptions. Additives that are specified in Appendix A of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011, can be used.

Milk is one of the most nutritious drinks, that is easily digestible for people of all age groups, from newborns to the elderly. Milk, in its natural and original form, has numerous proteins and other nutrients, and is usually added within a balanced diet. Milk is rich in amino acids and holds a high biological value. It has a diverse range of proteins with biological functions ranging from antibacterial to food absorption, as well as growth factors, hormones, enzymes, antibodies, and immunological stimulants.

FSSAI stresses that the addition of protein binders to milk and its byproducts can alter the biological and nutritive value thus affecting the digestion of foreign proteins.

When these food protein agents form bonds with other molecules, this helps the food molecules to stick together, thus altering the texture, structure, and consistency of the food to make it appear creamier, thicker, and smoother.

However, the FSSAI press release said that these protein binders are "not warranted to modify the textural or sensory parameters."

This decision will ensure that only the highest quality of dairy products, maintaining their natural integrity, reaches the consumer.