India's top food regulator FSSAI warns against commercialisation of human milk

India'stop food safety body on Friday (May 24) directed all statesto notgrant licences for selling or processing human milk. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in an advisory that several registered societies had urged it to set theprocess of commercialisationof human milk in motion. The body warned that"activities related to the commercialisation of human milk and its products should be immediately stopped.”

The regulator also warned that any violationwon'tbe tolerated and would attract punitive measures under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and its associated regulations.

As per FSSAI guidelines, thesale or any commercial activity involving human milkis strictly prohibited.It should be only usedto feed newborns or infants in health facilities.

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Concerns

Over the past years, such companies have surfaced in the market that process human milk for the purpose of selling it. Some of these companies even managed to get a valid FSSAI licence under the garb of selling dairy products. However, lateritwas discovered they were selling powdered human milk obtained from women hailing from humble backgrounds.

The Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) has long been urging the government of India to take action against such companies, which may not shy away from exploiting women for their own profits.

BPNI’scentral coordinatorDrArun Guptawasquotedas saying by The Print that Indian authorities must take the matter to the court.

“It took quite some time for the FSSAI to cancel the licence of Neolacta (a Bengaluru-based arm of a company from the UK), involved in the commercialisation of human milk.”

“We urge the Ayush ministry to submit their response to the Karnataka High Court using this advisory in the court. Market forces should never drive commercialisation of human milk and human nutrition in general,”hewas quoted as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)