FSSAI drive puts infant formula food under scanner, doctors advise breastfeeding

Doctors also warn parents against feeding cow milk as it leads to diarrhea and gastro-intestinal issues among infants. | Image for representation | Photo Credit: MariaGrover After the enforcement drive conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at private companies found expired infant food products, paediatricians and lactation consultants have warned new parents against feeding formula-based food products to infants.They stressed that mother’s milk is the only option and in rare cases, Nandini milk or borrowing milk from milk banks at private or government hospitals are alternatives.Speaking to The Hindu, Hajira Tarannum, IYCF counsellor, paediatrics,and nutritionist at Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH), said, “A majority of hospitals promote breastfeeding at the earliest. In very rare cases, if the child is sick or has underlying medical conditions, the mother will not be able to feed milk and doctors advise accordingly. Even in such cases, giving formula milk or food is not advised.”She added, “Most infant-friendly hospitals deny any kind of Infant Milk Substitute (IMS). If there is no expression of milk between new mothers and infants, it will lead to cessation of milk in mothers. Another alternative we suggest when mothers are not able to feed their babies is Nandini milk, particularly the blue packet. This too has to be fed after boiling and cooling without adding any water.”Dr. Tarannum said, “Most companies sell formula foods by stating that they are close to mother’s milk, but they are not.” She also noted that the formula food or substitutes are expensive, ranging from ₹700 to ₹1,800.She warned parents against feeding cow milk as it leads to diarrhea and gastro-intestinal issues among infants.Meanwhile, Niranjan, neonatologist, IGICH, said, “At IGICH, we have a milk bank but the milk is taken after mothers’ consent. Sometimes, when there are neonates, mothers cannot feed them 30 ml milk, which is fed to regular infants as a prescribed quantity. In such cases, infants are fed 4 to 5 ml and the rest is stored in the milk bank. Mothers will undergo all the tests, including HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, and human T-lymphotropic virus. The life for milk in banks is six months.”Dr. Niranjan also said that doctors don’t encourage mothers to donate milk to banks as it leads to less milk for their infants.Elaborating on the rules of the World Health Organisation’s World Alliance for Breastfeeding and Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India, Joyce Jayaseelan, lactation consultant, Fortis Hospital, said, “They all suggest that no formula should be given to infants below six months. If the babies are given formula, they will never latch onto the breast for milk. Even the little milk fed acts as an antibody. After six months, doctors advise mothers to provide semi-solid foods depending on vegetarian or non-vegetarian preferences, mother’s milk and water.” Published - September 05, 2026 07:34 pm IST