Insight

Milk and dairy products are an important part of the daily diet. They provide the body with protein, calcium, fats, and other essential nutrients. However, it is not always easy for consumers to assess a product’s quality and safety. Replacing milk fat with other fats, concealing a product’s composition, or providing inaccurate information on the label are among the issues associated with the adulteration of milk and dairy products.

Adulteration is not limited to poor product quality. It may involve deliberately altering a product’s composition, misleading consumers, or selling a product under a name that does not reflect its true nature. This issue is particularly important in the case of butter, sour cream, cream, cheese, and other high-fat dairy products, as differences in their composition are not always apparent from their appearance.

How Are Milk and Dairy Products Adulterated?

One common practice is replacing milk fat with vegetable fat, such as palm or coconut oil. These fats are used in various areas of food production, and their use does not in itself mean that a product is unsafe. The problem arises when a manufacturer uses vegetable fat instead of milk fat but markets the product to consumers as one made exclusively with milk fat.

For example, if a product is made using vegetable fat but its packaging states that it is butter made from cream, consumers are being misled. In such a case, the violation concerns not only the product’s composition but also its identity and the accuracy of the information provided on the label.

What Does Georgian Legislation Require?

The production and sale of milk and dairy products in Georgia are regulated by food-safety and consumer-information requirements. The relevant legal acts are intended to protect product identity, prevent consumers from being misled, and ensure that food placed on the market complies with established requirements.

Of particular importance are the amendments introduced to the Technical Regulation on Milk and Dairy Products by Resolution No. 429 of the Government of Georgia in 2026. Under the new requirement, from 1 January 2027, products made using non-dairy fats must display a special pictogram. This change will help consumers distinguish more easily between products based on milk fat and those produced using fats from other sources.

It is important to note that the use of non-dairy fat does not in itself constitute product adulteration. A legal issue arises when a product is incorrectly named, its composition is concealed, or the requirements established for the particular product are violated.

This matter is also addressed by the Technical Regulation on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers, approved by Resolution No. 301 of the Government of Georgia. Its purpose is to ensure that consumers receive accurate and understandable information about a product’s composition and characteristics.

In addition, the Law of Georgia on the Protection of Consumer Rights prohibits commercial practices that mislead consumers. The Code of Georgia on Food/Feed Safety, Veterinary Medicine, and Plant Protection is also relevant to the production and sale of food.

How Can Consumers Protect Themselves?

Consumers should pay attention to the product name, list of ingredients, fat content, manufacturer’s details, and other mandatory information displayed on the label.

An unusually low price may warrant additional attention, although it does not in itself prove that a product has been adulterated. If consumers have concerns, they can contact the National Food Agency and provide the product name, the manufacturer’s details, the place of purchase, and a photograph of the label.

Combating the adulteration of milk and dairy products requires effective government oversight, responsible conduct by manufacturers, and informed consumers. Accurate ingredient declarations, reliable laboratory testing, and compliance with legislation are essential to ensuring that consumers know what they are buying and consuming.

Sources

• Resolution No. 429 of the Government of Georgia on Amendments to the Technical Regulation on Milk and Dairy Products, 2026.

• Resolution No. 301 of the Government of Georgia on the Approval of the Technical Regulation on the Provision of Food Information to Consumers.

• Code of Georgia on Food/Feed Safety, Veterinary Medicine, and Plant Protection.

• Law of Georgia on the Protection of Consumer Rights, 2022.

• Danezis, G. P., Tsagkaris, A. S., Camin, F., Brusic, V., & Georgiou, C. A. (2016). “Food Authentication: Techniques, Trends & Emerging Approaches.” Trends in Analytical Chemistry, 85, 123–132.

• Nascimento, C. F., Santos, P. M., Pereira-Filho, E. R., & Rocha, F. R. P. (2017). “Recent Advances on Determination of Milk Adulterants.” Food Chemistry, 221, 1232–1244.