FSSAI Packaging Guidelines for Milk and Milk Products

This article discusses the FSSAI Guidelines for Milk and Milk Products. India produces more than 20% of the world’s milk, making it the largest producer in the world. The White Revolution in India boosted milk availability per person, boosting the amount of nutritious food consumed by children and adolescents. The nation used to be a net importer of dairy products, but now it is a net exporter thanks to the government’s initiatives and activities to support the dairy food industry. Among the top export, destinations are Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Egypt, Nepal, and other important places. Australia, New Zealand, and France are the top importers of dairy products worldwide. The most typical imports are cheese, whey powders, and milk and cream concentrate.

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Milk Products from Various Sources:

Whole milk, skim milk, buttermilk, yogurt, ice cream, and cheeses including Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, and others are examples of dairy products, often referred to as milk products. For most people, especially vegans, milk is their main source of calcium. However, milk, yogurt, and cheese are the best sources of calcium.

Milk and other Dairy Products Have a Lot of Health Benefits:

Milk and dairy products are the main sources of calcium and protein. The body receives approximately 1200 mg of calcium from a liter of milk. The bones can quickly absorb milk calcium. Vitamin A and lactose both help the body absorb calcium.

Research indicates that during the past few decades, the dairy industry has significantly declined. The majority of the population cutting back on milk consumption will be detrimental to their health and happiness. The body’s nutritional requirements, particularly the amount of calcium needed for bone building, will suffer as a result of this drop in milk consumption.

A study found that due to milk’s high fat content, people in general, including women and teenagers, avoid consuming it on a daily basis. But children’s growth and development, as well as the creation of their bones and skeletal systems, depend on calcium, which they mostly consume in the form of milk and other dairy products.

FSSAI Milk Packaging Guidelines:

As part of its responsibility to oversee food safety and regulations, the FSSAI has also created recommendations to safeguard the safety of the primary food commodity, milk. Infants, young children, teenagers, and the elderly all require milk. Technology has advanced over time to the point where not just new packaging techniques but also novel devices that enable automation have been developed. The new packaging innovations make milk more enduring while still being user-friendly.

Some of the common packaging choices for storing milk and milk products include cans, bottles, pouches, cartons, and tetra packs. The most often used type of packaging is soft recyclable pouches since they are simple to use, environmentally friendly, and economical.

Because it shields the milk within from temperature fluctuations and UV rays, a thermoformed plastic bottle is another good alternative for packaging.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) makes sure that the laws adhere to the guidelines for the food packaging industry as laid down in the FSSAI preparations. In addition to making sure that every package that is prepared for sale to the end consumer complies with the FSSAI food packaging regulations in India, the main focus is still on removing the possibility of changing the contents of the box without tampering with the seal.

The FSSAI has established particular guidelines that are specifically applicable to milk and milk product packaging criteria, such as:

• Heat-treated milk and milk products should be bottled or filled into containers manually, and the containers should be sealed automatically.

• The last heat treatment of drinking milk should be done simultaneously with sealing as soon as possible after filling. With the aid of sealing tools, this sealing should be completed. This specification must be made in order to protect the milk from any unanticipated negative effects that might be brought on by outside influences.

• The packaging or wrapping that has been used for milk should not be used again for dairy products because milk is a fresh dairy product. In the event that the containers are reusable, an exception is made. Even so, after thorough washing and disinfecting, they should only be used with extreme caution.

• The milk and milk products should also be kept in particular storage facilities after packing is finished.

The Reason for the Packaging Change:

When milk packaging switches from glass bottles to metal cans and packs, the following modifications control the revised rules:

• Useful packaging that could be recycled was required by the new way of living.

• Clients anticipate that services will be provided in a way that is convenient for them.

• Environmental and ecological considerations were made.

• Recycling and production expenses should be implementable.

Packaging and Shelf Life:

The FSSAI only cares about laws governing food safety. Milk and dairy products fall under this as well. On the other side, the FSSAI has no control over how long milk and milk products can be stored. While the FBOs provide comprehensive information on the product’s stability and shelf life, the FSSAI does not regulate the requirements and standards for the shelf life of these commodities. This information is in line with stability tests conducted by a lab that has been accredited by NABL and notified by the FSSAI.

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The Milk and Dairy Food License Processing business in India has one of the fastest rates of economic growth in the world. Consumers are becoming more aware of lifestyle and health changes. In order to accommodate a more varied and balanced diet that includes milk and dairy products, as well as fruits and vegetables, chicken products, etc., they are adopting dietary adjustments rather than relying solely on cereals.