Chennai retail outlet sealed for selling breast milk

Food Safety Department seals retail outlet in Madhavaram for illegal sale of breast milk, taking action across Tamil Nadu.

A retail outlet in Madhavaram was sealed by the Food Safety Department of Tamil Nadu for illegally selling breast milk, on May 31. The department has taken up checks across the State to check the sale of breast milk on June 1.

M. Jegadish Chandra Bose, Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, Tiruvallur said that they had received a complaint from the Central FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) team on May 21 that breast milk was being sold at an outlet in Madhavaram near Chennai. Based on this, they were monitoring the retail outlet located at K.K.R. Garden, Madhavaram. When they visited the shop, they found bottles labelled as “breast milk.”

“The vendor had obtained FSSAI license to sell protein powder. He was selling 50 ml of breastmilk for ₹500. This is against the law. We have sealed the outlet. We have lifted samples and are waiting for the report,” Dr. Bose said. The officials have issued notice to the vendor for the violation.

A complaint has been lodged against the 38-year-old vendor with the police.

In line with this, the Food Safety department has taken up checks across the State and has requested the public to inform them in case they spot instances of unauthorised selling of breastmilk. Action would be taken on violators under the Food Safety and Standards Act, officials said.

P. Satheesh Kumar, Designated Officer, Food Safety, Chennai, said the public can call or WhatsApp on 94440 42322.