The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered states and Union Territories to launch a special enforcement drive against adulterated milk, paneer, and khoya, targeting health risks from contaminants like detergents and urea, according to media reports.
Authorities must perform intensive inspections of licensed and unlicensed units, collect samples for lab testing, verify FSSAI registrations, and enforce strict measures such as licence suspensions, product seizures, and unit closures, with mandatory real-time reporting via the Food Safety Compliance System (FOSCOS) and fortnightly progress updates to FSSAI headquarters.
While no organised opposition from dairy stakeholders has emerged, the directive invokes Section 16(5) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to empower food safety officers; initial state-level actions, including raids in major cities, commenced this week amid festive season demands.
Intensified Surveillance and Enforcement Tactics
This comprehensive drive emphasises tracing adulteration sources right from supply chains to retail points, with a focus on inter-state coordination to curb cross-border movement of tainted products.
Food safety officers are instructed to deploy mobile labs, such as Food Safety on Wheels, at high-risk hotspots like wholesale markets and festival preparation hubs where khoya demand spikes.
Official communications highlight common adulterants-detergents for froth, urea for density, starch for thickness, and even formalin for preservation-each linked to severe health issues like kidney damage, gastrointestinal distress, and cancer risks over time.
A key quote from FSSAI sources underscores the urgency: “The Special Enforcement Drive has been launched following multiple reports of unsafe, illegally manufactured dairy products posing serious public health risks”.
Testing protocols mandate rapid kits for on-site detection followed by NABL-accredited lab confirmation, ensuring actions are evidence-based. In 2024 alone, FSSAI’s National Milk Safety Survey tested over 10,000 samples, finding 14-16% non-conforming due to adulteration, with urban areas like Delhi and Mumbai showing higher rates.
Human stories amplify the stakes: recent cases in Uttar Pradesh saw families hospitalised after consuming detergent-spiked paneer during weddings, while Maharashtra raids seized 500 litres of urea-mixed milk last month.
Patterns from Past Festive Crackdowns
India’s dairy sector, valued at over ₹15 lakh crore and employing millions, grapples with recurring adulteration scandals, particularly during festivals like Diwali, Eid, and upcoming Holi. FSSAI’s September-October 2025 festive surveillance drive sampled 25,000+ milk products nationwide, leading to 300+ prosecutions and fines exceeding ₹5 crore, yet violations persist in unorganised segments handling 60-70% of supply.
Historical precedents include 2023 Uttar Pradesh operations uncovering formaldehye in khoya batches and a 2024 nationwide sweep confiscating 10 tonnes of adulterated sweets base.
The current directive builds on these by mandating vulnerability mapping-prioritising unlicensed khoya makers and paneer processors-and public awareness via social media and helplines.
Under the 2006 Act, penalties range from ₹2-10 lakh fines to 6-month to life imprisonment for grievous harm, deterring rogue operators while protecting ethical farmers.
Broader context reveals supply chain gaps: loose regulation in rural collection centres and economic pressures on small vendors fuel adulteration, despite Amul and Mother Dairy models proving clean practices viable.
This escalation aligns with India’s milk consumption surge to 230 million tonnes annually, making safety non-negotiable for nutrition security.
Stakeholder Roles and Implementation Challenges
Dairy industry bodies like the Indian Dairy Association have welcomed the drive but called for “balanced enforcement” to avoid disrupting legitimate businesses, advocating simultaneous training for 5 lakh+ vendors.
States like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat report early compliance, with mobile squads covering 500+ units in Chennai alone by 17 December, while slower responses in Bihar highlight resource shortages.
FSSAI plans a review meeting post-Diwali to assess efficacy, potentially extending to synthetic milk-a lab-grown fake evading traditional tests.
Consumers emerge as vital partners: apps like FSSAI’s “Food Safety Connect” enable reporting, and simple home tests for soap-like froth or sour smell empower vigilance.
Experts note that while enforcement deters, long-term fixes lie in blockchain traceability and subsidies for quality testing kits, as piloted in Kerala. This multi-stakeholder approach-from regulators and farmers to buyers-addresses root causes beyond raids.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The Logical Indian hails FSSAI’s decisive action as a beacon of empathy-driven governance, safeguarding families’ trust in milk-the elixir of Indian homes-while urging kindness towards honest producers squeezed by market pressures.
Harmony flourishes when enforcement fosters dialogue: pairing penalties with education builds resilient, ethical supply chains for coexistence and health equity.
