Gujarat: Soon, special government logo to differentiate dairy from faux milk products

In order to curb the growth of analogous products that mimic dairy products in smell, taste and looks, the government is planning to come out with a special logo that will differentiate milk and milk products from cheaper non-dairy substitutes.
“Analogous products that exist as cheaper substitutes to dairy products are an eye-wash. These are economically motivated products,” said Commissioner of Food Safety HG Koshia of the Food and Drugs Control Administration of Gujarat. “Due to lack of standards for dairy products, these analogous products continue to exist in the marketplace. For instance, paneer made out of milk costs Rs 250-300 per kilogram and analogous products that contain no milk protein or milk fat sell much cheaper at Rs 150. They look, taste and smell the same, if not better.”
Narrating an experience where a company from Chennai was selling vanaspati by adding ghee flavour to it, he said, “Due to the flavour, the vanaspati smelled like ‘desi ghee’ and to stay within the ambit of law, the manufacturer had ‘For industrial use’ written on the label,” Koshi said. “It is high time standards are made for dairy products.” He was interacting with mediapersons on the sidelines of a seminar organised by the Indian Dairy Association on ‘Dairy Products or Imitations: Consumer Dilemma.’
Officials pointed out that yellow-coloured margarine which is a substitute made from vegetable oil or animal fats is also being sold in place of real butter. Similarly, cheap khoya substitutes are also used freely in sweets, and frozen dessert (made from vegetable oil) is being sold as ice cream (made from milk cream).
“The standards have been formulated and will soon be published. We are also bringing a logo for dairy products which will clearly differentiate it from analogous products,” said Dr JB Prajapati, Principal and Dean of SMC College of Dairy Science, Anand Agricultural University, who is heading the committee that is drafting the standards and the logo. “Milk fat and protein are the most valuable contents in milk and milk products. If this milk fat and protein is replaced by palm oil, then the cost of production becomes very cheap. But this is just cheating the customers as the product ceases to be a dairy product,” he said.

Source : indianexpress