FSSAI has issued a guidance document on Food Safety Management System (FSMS) to implement GMP (good manufacturing practices)/GHP (good hygiene practices) requirements for milk and milk products. 

This document is applicable for food businesses involved in the dairy sector, which includes all milk and milk products, which includes liquid milk, UHT (ultra-high temperature) milk, condensed milk, fermented milk and flavoured milk, ghee, butter, cream, dairy whitener (WMP [whole milk powder] and SMP [skimmed mik powder]), curd, yoghurt, buttermilk, paneer, and cheese.

The document, based on the product category, can be used by the FBOs (food business operators) as per the operations applicable to them. 

The document is divided into five main sections. 

The first section gives an overview of the dairy industry in India along with the rising need for food safety in the sector.

The second contains guidance for implementation of GMP and GHP as outlined in Part III of Schedule 4 of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing & Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. 

The third section is recommendatory in nature and provides the basic knowledge and criteria for implementation of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system by the food businesses. 

This section includes the manufacturing flow chart and two tables: Hazard Analysis and HACCP Plans. 

The Hazard Analysis tables are intended to help the industry to identify the food safety risks related to each processing step, to identify the Critical Control Points (CCPs) along with recommended corrective actions and other related information.

Sample HACCP plans have been taken from some established practicing dairy industries. These plans could be used as reference by the industry and modified or altered based on their operations.  

The fourth section provides an inspection checklist for FBOs to audit their facility and operations. The FBOs can evaluate themselves based on the indicative scoring.

The last section gives important templates and forms to be required by FBOs to maintain the records. This includes mandatory forms as prescribed by FSSAI and a few templates for maintaining records of processes critical for food safety.

Pawan Kumar Agarwal, chief executive officer, FSSAI, stated that this document contained practical approaches which a business should adopt to ensure food safety. 

“And it is important that food handlers involved in whole supply chain of milk and milk products are trained appropriately to implement the good manufacturing practices and good hygiene practices to ensure food safety,” he added. 

“We acknowledge the contribution of the experts from the technical panel of FSSAI for developing this document,” Agarwal said.

“And this is prepared with the intent to provide implementation guidance to food businesses (especially the small and medium businesses) involved in manufacturing/processing, packing, storage, distribution, retail and transportation of food supplements to ensure that critical food safety-related aspects are addressed throughout the supply chain,” he added. 

Agarwal, however, pointed out that manufacturers may adopt higher or stringent levels, depending on the needs and complexity of operation. The use of this guidance is voluntary and FBOs may comply with the requirement of the regulation, according to other established best practices.