Infant Milk Food and Infant Formula

i. Legal Standards

a) Infant food: According to prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA), Infant milk food means the material prepared by spray drying or roller drying of the milk of cow or buffalo or a mixture thereof. The milk may be modified by the partial removal/substitution of different milk solids: carbohydrates, such as sucrose, dextrose and dextrins, maltose and lactose; salts, like phosphates and citrates; vitamins A, D, E, B group, C and other vitamins; and minerals like iron, copper, zinc and iodine. The source of iron may be selected from “Ferrous sulphate, ferrous citrate, ferrous fumerate, ferrous succinate, ferric ammonium citrate and ferric pyrophosphate”.It shall be free from added starch and added antioxidants. It shall also be free from dirt, extraneous matter, preservatives and added colour and flavour and from any material, which is harmful to human health. It shall not have rancid taste and musty odour. It shall also conform to standards as listed in Table

b) Infant formula: According to prevention of Food Adulteration Act (PFA),Infant formula means the product prepared by spray drying or roller drying of the milk of cow or buffalo or a mixture thereof. The milk may be modified by the partial removal/substitution of milk fat with vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or by different milk solids: carbohydrates, such as sucrose, dextrose and dextrins, maltose and lactose; salts, such as phosphates and citrates; vitamins A, D, E, B and C group and other vitamins, minerals such as iron, copper, zinc and iodine and others. The source of iron may be selected from “Ferrous sulphate, ferrous citrate, ferrous fumerate, ferrous succinate, ferric ammonium citrate and ferric pyrophosphate”.It shall be free from added starch, added colour and added flavour. It shall not have rancid taste and musty odour. Vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids shall be added to partially substituted milk fat to an extent that the product shall contain a minimum of 12% by weight of milk fat and a minimum of linoleate content of 1.398 g per 100 g of the product. The product shall also contain a minimum of 0.70 I.U. of vitamin E per 100 K.Cal.

It shall also conform to the standards as listed in Table

PFA Standards of Infant Milk Food and Infant Formula

Provided that the low birth weight infant milk substitutes shall also meet the following requirement in addition to the above requirements:

•  Protein shall be in the range of 2.25-2.75 gram per 100 K.Cal/Joules.
•  Mineral contents shall not be less than 0.5 gram per 100 K.Cal. The Calcium:
• Phosphorus ratio shall be 2:1. The Sodium, Potassium and Chloride combined
• together shall be less than 40 milli equivalent per Litre.
•  Whey Protein: Casein ratio shall be 60:40. Essential amino acids should include
• cystine, tyrosine and histidine.
•  It shall be packed in hermetically sealed, clean and sound containers or in flexible pack made from film or combination or any of the substrate made of Board paper, polyethylene, polyester metalized film or aluminium foil in such a way to protect from deterioration.
•  It shall be packed in nitrogen or a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

ii. BIS Standards (IS 14433 (PART-I) : 1997:

The material shall be of the following two types:

a) Type-I Infant milk food

b) Type-II Infant formula including low birth weight infant milk substitute

Requirements

•  Type-1Infant milk substitute shall be free from starch and added antioxidants while in Type II, ready to drink infant milk substitute, lecithin and ascorbyl palmitate may be used up to a maximum limit of 0.5 g/100 ml and 1 mg/100 ml,respectively and shall be free from starch. It shall be free from dirt, and extraneous matter, preservatives, added colour and flavour and from any material, which are harmful to infant’s health.
•  The scorched particles in the product shall not exceed 15 mg (equivalent to Disc B)
• The Infant milk substitutes shall also conform to requirements given in Table .

                                               Requirements for Infant Milk Substitutes: IS 14433 (Part I) :

1997