FSSAI labelling rule curdles

New Delhi: Food safety regulator FSSAI on Thursday revised its order and allowed the use of regional names in printed labels of curd packets amid political controversy in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The Food Business Operators (FBOs) are now allowed to use the term 'curd' along with any other prevalent regional common name in brackets on the label. For example, 'Curd (Dahi)' in Hindi or 'Curd (mosaru) in Kannada, 'Curd (thayir)' in Tamil, 'Curd (perugu)' in Telugu, 'Curd (zaamutdaud)' can be used, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said in a statement.

The order has been revised following various representations received recently on the omission of the term 'curd' from the Standards of Fermented Milk Products and only the word 'Dahi' was mentioned. "As many representations were received recently on the omission of the term 'curd' from the Standards of Fermented Milk Products, it has been decided that FBOs may use the term curd along with any other designation (prevalent regional common name) in brackets on the label," the FSSAI said. The controversy erupted after the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers Federation -- which sells dairy products in brand name Aavin -- declined to use the Hindi term 'Dahi' in its printed sachets as directed by FSSAI and said that it would only stick to the Tamil word 'thayir'.

On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin decried the move as an attempt to "impose Hindi". Dairy Development Minister SM Nasar said the government had received a letter asking it to implement the directive before August.

Meanwhile, former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy took exception to the inclusion of the term 'dahi' on the curd packets of Nandini, a popular brand of KMF. In a series of tweets, the JD(S) second-in-command called it 'Hindi imposition' on Kannadigas. He said Nandini is the "property of the Kannadigas, the identity of the Kannadigas and the lifeline of the Kannadigas".

"Despite knowing this, the ego of Hindi imposition has been displayed," he added. He alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his Mandya visit had said in a meeting that Nandini would be merged with Gujarat's Amul. There was no response from the Karnataka Milk Federation on the issue.