The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the nation’s apex food regulator, has issued a clear directive to state licensing authorities to stop granting licenses for the processing and sale of human milk. This announcement was made through an advisory released on Friday, in response to concerns raised by various registered societies about the commercialisation of human milk.

The advisory highlights that the FSSAI has not authorised any activities related to the commercialisation of human milk and warns that any such actions are illegal. The regulator emphasized that all activities involving the commercialisation of human milk must cease immediately.

The FSSAI has cautioned that violations of this directive could result in severe punitive measures under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and its associated regulations. This legislation strictly prohibits the commercial processing and sale of human milk.

National guidelines on Lactation Management Centres (LMC) in public health facilities clearly state that donor human milk should only be used for newborns or infants within health facilities equipped with comprehensive lactation management centres. These guidelines ensure that the use of donor human milk is strictly for medical purposes and not for commercial gain.

The FSSAI’s advisory underscores the importance of adhering to these guidelines to protect the integrity and safety of lactation management practices in India.

For further details, concerned parties are encouraged to review the full advisory and the relevant regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.