FSSAI Cracks Down on Synthetic Milk Racket: Governance Challenges in Food Safety

Livemint - Economy · 23 Jun 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Health Mains · GS2 Governance High relevance

FSSAI uncovered a synthetic milk manufacturing unit in Gujarat using harmful adulterants, highlighting systemic vulnerabilities in India's dairy sector governance and public health risks.

Key points

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) busted a synthetic milk unit in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district using detergent, urea, and vegetable oils to produce fake milk, demonstrating organized food fraud.

The racket produced 1,700-1,800 litres daily from 300 litres of genuine milk, operating for five years across multiple districts, exposing regulatory gaps in the unorganized dairy sector.

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) chairman confirmed adulteration primarily affects the unorganized sector (60% of market share) lacking testing infrastructure, while cooperatives maintain quality checks.

Health risks include kidney/liver damage from urea and detergents, with endocrine disorders from prolonged consumption, per Dr. Anand Vishal of AIIMS-RML Hospital.

2018 National Milk Safety Survey found 41% samples failed quality parameters, though only 0.19% were unsafe, indicating widespread but varying adulteration severity.

[GS3-Economy] India's 248 million tonne milk production faces credibility crisis, potentially impacting dairy exports (world's largest producer) and domestic consumer trust.

[GS2-Governance] Weak enforcement of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 in rural supply chains contrasts with urban organized sector's compliance, revealing federal-state implementation gaps.

CRISIL-ASPA 2025 report notes rising consumer demand for traceability, highlighting the need for blockchain or QR-code based authentication in dairy supply chains.

Way Forward: Mandate real-time adulteration testing at village collection centers, introduce mobile testing vans with IoT sensors, and amend FSS Act to include stricter penalties for synthetic milk production.

Key terms

Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Consolidated law replacing multiple food regulations, establishing FSSAI. Important for UPSC's governance questions on regulatory effectiveness, particularly in tackling modern food fraud like synthetic milk.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

Statutory body under Ministry of Health established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 to regulate food manufacturing, storage, and sale. Crucial for UPSC as it intersects public health, federalism (state enforcement), and consumer protection governance.

National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)

Institution created under Operation Flood (1970) to coordinate dairy cooperatives. Relevant for UPSC's agricultural economy and cooperative federalism topics, particularly in milk production (India's largest agri-commodity).

Operation Flood

World's largest dairy development program (1970-1996) that made India milk-sufficient. UPSC relevance lies in its cooperative model (Anand Pattern), white revolution impact, and current challenges in quality maintenance.