PNS - BAFS 36 - 2008 - Fresh Milk

Milk is a good source of nutrition. It is consumed by virtually all cultures in the world. Global market conditions and trends show an increased production and demands for safe and quality milk products. Consequently, the Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards, initiated the development of the Philippine National Standard on Fresh Milk to help boost the local industry and ensure that the locally-marketed fresh milk is safe and of good quality.

Originally started as a Draft Philippine National Standard on Original Pilipino Milk in 2001, this standard was modified numerous times to accommodate the demands and requests of the producers, consumers, NGOs, advocacy groups, and government agencies. In collaboration with the members of the Technical Working Group (TWG), the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS), Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), National Dairy Authority (NDA), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), Bureau of Product Standards (BPS), Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and University of the Philippines – Dairy Training Research Institute (UPLB-DTRI), series of technical reviews and public consultations were convened on the Draft Standard on Fresh Milk. In 2007, an independent body composed of BPS, UPLB-DTRI and DOST-FNRI were tasked to evaluate and resolve contentious provisions of the standard, based on documents submitted by different advocacy groups and government regulatory agencies.

This standard sets a series of minimum requirements to be observed in the production and sale of fresh milk as well as practices and provisions on proper labeling of fresh milk products essential to protect the consumers from unfair and deceptive sales act. This standard lays the necessary foundation to help boost up consumer confidence in locally marketed fresh milk products.