New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) move Monday to withdraw its advisory instructing all e-commerce food business operators to remove labels referring to protein types like ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ from dairy products was influenced by a letter that a member of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research’s (ICAR) governing body wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ThePrint has learnt.
In his letter dated 25 August, Venugopal Badaravada had argued that the FSSAI’s action could jeapordise “consumer choice and the future of our indigenous breeds [of cattle]”. On Tuesday, he wrote another letter to health minister J.P. Nadda — the FSSAI comes under his ministry — calling for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the advisory and officials of the regulatory body. ThePrint has seen both letters.
The FSSAI had issued its advisory on 21 August, saying that Indian food laws didn’t recognise “any differentiation of milk on the basis of A1 and A2 types” and that the “use of any A2 claims on milk fat products is misleading and not in conformance with the provisions laid down under FSS Act, 2006 and regulations made thereunder”.
Experts who spoke to ThePrint last week described companies’ practice of promoting their dairy products as superior on the basis of protein classifications such as A1 and A2—with some charging up to three times more for products marketed as A2—as misleading and devoid of scientific backing.
However, the regulator withdrew its advisory just five days after issuing it, in order “to allow for additional consultation and engagement with stakeholders”.
A senior FSSAI official also told ThePrint that the body recognised that the initial process hadn’t involved enough consultation. But according to another source in the government, Badaravada’s letter influenced the decision.
In his letter to Modi, Badaravada wrote: “The decision contradicts the Honourable Prime Minister’s scientific recognition and goes against the global trend seen in countries like the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil, where A1 and A2 milk are marketed separately due to potential differences in digestion between the two types of beta-casein.”
Badaravada also suggested forming a “high-level committee of experts” to review the matter, with representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and ICAR, as well as subject-matter experts. Its remit would be to clarify the marketing and labelling of milk products as A1 and A2, ensure proper recognition of A1 and A2 proteins, and hold accountable those responsible for the “misguided” directive.
When contacted by ThePrint Tuesday, Badaravada said, “”We are the leading experts in identifying Group A protein types. Duplication is rampant, and in reality, most of the products we encounter are copies. What response can we expect from them [FSSAI]? They are just creating unnecessary issues over A1 and A2.”
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Badaravada calls for CBI inquiry
Writing to Nadda Tuesday, Badaravada sought a CBI inquiry into the advisory for “undermining the credibility of the prime minister’s Deshi A2 initiative”. Modi had launched Amul’s ‘Deshi A2’ cow milk in 2016.
Badaravada argued that the directive had led to significant losses for farmers and called for an investigation into FSSAI officials, particularly its CEO, Ganji Kamala Vardhana Rao.
“Mr. Ganji Kamala Vardhana Rao appears to lack knowledge about the recognised indigenous breeds of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and India. Additionally, many officials within the FSSAI are unaware of the full names of these indigenous breeds across the country,” the letter read.
He also argued that the advisory had led to a decline in demand for indigenous cow milk and its products. To safeguard the interests of dairy farmers, he called for a regulatory order or circular that approves the labelling and marketing of indigenous cow milk and products. Additionally, he emphasised the need for clear labelling of milk sources to ensure transparency for consumers and highlight the “unique benefits” of indigenous cow milk.
Speaking to ThePrint about the Rashtriya Gokul Mission for the development and conservation of indigenous cow breeds, Badaravada said, “Modi ji launched the mission in 2014. In 10 years, the Indian government spent Rs 4109 crore on the desi cow. We have to be very clear and clean with the subject, including the facts and figures.”
(Edited by Rohan Manoj)
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