A massive nationwide enforcement campaign targets milk, paneer, and khoya to eliminate hazardous adulteration in the supply chain.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched an aggressive, large-scale surveillance campaign to combat the widespread adulteration of milk and milk products across the country. Following a high-level meeting chaired by Union Health Secretary and FSSAI Chairperson Punya Salila Srivastava, the regulator announced a multi-pronged strategy to ensure consumer safety. The primary focus of this “crackdown” involves rigorous monitoring and testing of daily essentials, specifically milk, paneer, and khoya, which are frequently targeted by unscrupulous actors for economic gain or volume padding.
Central to this initiative is the deployment of mobile food testing laboratories, known as “Food Safety on Wheels” (FSW), which will be dispatched to markets across various states. These mobile units are designed to provide rapid, on-the-spot testing capabilities, allowing officials to identify contaminants immediately. The FSSAI is also emphasizing the use of rapid testing kits to streamline the detection of common adulterants, ensuring that the intervention is both high-tech and highly visible to discourage fraudulent practices within the dairy value chain.
The enforcement drive is not just about detection but also about strict legal accountability. Punya Salila Srivastava has instructed food safety commissioners in all states and Union Territories to take “stringent action” against any entities—from large manufacturers to local vendors—found violating safety standards. This includes the immediate seizure of sub-standard products and the filing of legal cases. By escalating the consequences of food fraud, the FSSAI aims to restore public confidence in India’s massive domestic dairy market, particularly concerning high-demand products like ghee and khoya.
Beyond enforcement, the FSSAI is prioritizing consumer awareness and local engagement. The regulator is encouraging citizens to utilize the testing facilities available through the FSWs to verify the quality of their own purchases. This “Jan Andolan” (people’s movement) approach seeks to turn everyday consumers into active participants in the food safety ecosystem. State-level officers have been tasked with organizing outreach programs to educate the public on the health risks associated with adulterated dairy and how to report suspicious products to the authorities.
The timing of this nationwide surveillance reflects a growing concern over the impact of dairy adulteration on public health and international trade reputation. As India continues to be a global powerhouse in milk production, maintaining the integrity of its supply chain is paramount. The FSSAI has committed to maintaining this intensified surveillance for the foreseeable future, signaling to the global dairy community that the Indian government is taking proactive, technology-driven steps to align its domestic safety standards with international benchmarks.
Source: The New Indian Express – FSSAI announces nationwide crackdown on adulteration of milk, paneer and khoya
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