The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has declared a sample of Nestlé’s Low Fat Dairy Whitener “unsafe” and “substandard” after laboratory testing. The sample was collected from Bharat Hotels Ltd, which operates The Lalit hotel in Connaught Place, New Delhi. The regulator subsequently ordered that the flagged product not be sold.
Nestlé India has disputed the finding, saying its Low Fat Dairy Whitener is safe and complies with applicable regulatory requirements. The company has argued that the test for total phosphorus does not account for phosphorus that naturally occurs in milk-based ingredients.
The development has also renewed attention on what dairy whiteners are and how they differ from milk. A dairy whitener is a processed milk-based product formulated for use in beverages such as tea and coffee; it should not automatically be treated as nutritionally equivalent to fresh milk.
Phosphorus itself is an essential mineral and is naturally present in dairy foods. However, people with chronic kidney disease may need to limit phosphorus because damaged kidneys cannot remove excess amounts effectively. Phosphorus additives in processed foods can also contribute significantly to dietary intake.
The FSSAI action concerns the tested sample and should not, by itself, be interpreted as evidence that every pack of the product is unsafe. Consumers can check product labels, ingredients and regulatory updates, while people with kidney disease or other dietary restrictions should follow advice from their healthcare professionals.

AdvertisementThe Puranic