The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has introduced stricter packaging and promotion rules for baby food products, directing manufacturers to emphasise breastfeeding as the best option for infants.
Under the new guidelines issued by FDA commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, all baby food packages must carry the clear message “Mother’s Milk Is Best.” Photographs of a mother and child on the packaging have been prohibited, as have any claims suggesting the product is equivalent to breast milk.
The rules apply to all baby food items, including cereals and supplementary foods intended for children under two years of age. Free samples and discount coupons for these products are also no longer permitted. Packaging must state that the product should be used only as a supplementary food for babies older than six months and solely on the basis of medical advice.
The order does not ban formula milk or other baby food products. Manufacturers may continue to sell them provided they follow the new requirements.
Mundhe said a recent FDA survey had identified several compliance gaps, particularly the absence of messages highlighting the importance of breastfeeding. The measures are intended to encourage breastfeeding and support proper infant nutrition. He pointed to data showing that exclusive breastfeeding rates from the first hour to six months in Maharashtra stood at 52.8 per cent in urban areas and 75.2 per cent in rural areas. He also referred to survey findings that 25 per cent of children aged 10 to 12 years had high blood pressure, linking the issue in part to insufficient breastfeeding.
The directives form part of a broader effort by the state FDA to strengthen food safety and public health messaging around infant nutrition.
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