FSSAI withdraws order to use the word “dahi” on curd packet

After the uproar over the insistence on the use of the word “Dahi” prominently as the nomenclature on the curd packet marketed by milk federations in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Thursday withdrew the order. In fresh changes to labelling provisions, FSSAI has enabled the use of Curd prominently and its nomenclature in regional languages in brackets.Following the order, the milk federations have been allowed to use Curd prominently and use its regional nomenclatures as Mosaru, Thayir, Perugu, Zaamt Daud and Dahi in brackets.

The change in labels will also apply to products like cheese and butter. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin hit out at the national food safety authority and declared those responsible would be 'banished' from the southern states. Such brazen disregard to our mother tongues will make sure those responsible are banished from (the) South forever," he said, sharing a screenshot of a news report that said Tamil Nadu and Karnataka milk federations must 'prominently' label curd as 'dahi'.In a note seen by many as patronising, the FSSAI said the Tamil and Kannada words - 'tayyir' and 'mosaru', respectively - 'can be used in brackets'.The state-run Aavin milk producers co-operative in Tamil Nadu has said firmly it will not use the term 'dahi' on its packets and will only use the word 'tayyir'.