FSSAI notice
FSSAI's A1/A2 milk claims advisory, issued and withdrawn (Aug 2024)
Last checked 1 October 2026
FSSAI's advisory of around 21 Aug 2024 asking dairies to drop 'A1' and 'A2' claims from milk and milk products was withdrawn on 26 Aug 2024; A2 milk and ghee are not banned and the claims remain in use.
- Classification
- Earlier notice or order withdrawn
- Decided by
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- Reference
- FSSAI advisory of ~21 Aug 2024 on A1/A2 claims; withdrawal 26 Aug 2024
- Latest action
- 26 August 2024
- Last checked
- 1 October 2026
Photo: Antiguan honey products at an exhibition in Saint Lucia.jpg by Government of Antigua and Barbuda (Public domain). All photo credits.
FSSAI withdraws advisory on removal of claims of A1, A2 types of milk
Our team has checked this record against the published reports, last on 1 October 2026. The government order itself is not published online, or we have not found it yet, so we link the best public report. If you have the order, send it to us and we will link it instead.
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe explain what has been reported. The report above is the best source we hold.
Key facts
- Advisory
- ~21 Aug 2024, 'A1' and 'A2' claims on milk, ghee and related products to be removed as not recognised under FSS regulations
- Withdrawal
- 26 Aug 2024: FSSAI withdrew the advisory for further consultation
- Current position
- No regulation prohibits A2 claims; no standard defines them either
- Products affected
- None, in the end
For a few days in August 2024 it looked as though FSSAI would end the A2 milk market. Around 21 Aug 2024 the regulator issued an advisory to food businesses saying that 'A1' and 'A2' claims, which refer to variants of the beta-casein protein and are used to sell milk and ghee from certain cattle breeds at a premium, were not recognised under the Food Safety and Standards regulations and should be removed from labels.
On 26 Aug 2024 FSSAI withdrew the advisory, saying it would consult stakeholders further. No replacement advisory or regulation has been issued since.
The result is a gap rather than a prohibition. A2 claims remain on shelves, no Indian standard defines what qualifies as A2 milk, and the scientific basis for health differences between A1 and A2 milk remains contested. Searchers who ask whether A2 milk is banned should be told it is not; those asking whether the claim is verified should be told that no regulator in India certifies it.
What this means for you
A2 milk is legal to sell and label
The claim is neither prohibited nor standardised. Brands may use it; there is no official test behind it.
Price premium is a marketing decision
Nothing in FSSAI's regulations distinguishes A2 milk from ordinary milk for safety purposes.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Sources
- FSSAI withdraws advisory on removal of claims of A1, A2 types of milkNewsBusiness Standard · 26 August 2024