Dairy is a high-risk food category, so several dairy products are on the compulsory list of the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA). If you produce or import packaged milk, butter, milk powder, condensed milk or tea whitener, you need a PSQCA Certification Marks licence, in addition to a licence from your provincial food authority.
This guide sets out which dairy products are covered, the Pakistan Standard for each, and what a dairy plant needs in place to get licensed.
Dairy products on PSQCA's compulsory list
These dairy items appear on PSQCA's list of compulsory items:
| Product | Pakistan Standard | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Packaged liquid milk | PS 5344 | Compulsory |
| Flavoured milk | PS 3189 | Compulsory |
| Milk powder (whole and skim) | PS 363 | Compulsory |
| Condensed milk | PS 364 | Compulsory |
| Butter | PS 1831 | Compulsory |
| Liquid tea and coffee whitener | PS 5383 | Compulsory |
| Powder tea and coffee whitener | PS 5384 | Compulsory |
| Food for infants and children | PS 1688 | Compulsory |
Yogurt, cheese, cream and ice cream do not appear on the list. They are still regulated by your provincial food authority. Standards are revised from time to time, so get the current revision of your standard from PSQCA before you apply.
Who needs a PSQCA dairy licence?
- UHT and pasteurised packaged milk processors
- Flavoured milk producers
- Milk powder and whitener manufacturers
- Butter producers
- Private-label brands and importers of any of these products
What the dairy standards check
Dairy standards such as PS 5344 for packaged liquid milk set requirements for composition, including fat and solids-not-fat, for microbiological limits, for the absence of adulterants and preservatives, and for packaging and labelling.
Milk and whitener are separate categories
Tea whitener has its own standards, and they require labelling that makes clear the product is a whitener and not milk. If your pack, brand name or advertising presents a whitener as milk, the product will not conform, whatever is inside it. Decide which category each product belongs to before you design the pack.
You also need a food authority licence
PSQCA certification does not replace food authority licensing. A dairy unit must also be licensed and inspected by the food authority of its province, and follow that authority's hygiene and labelling rules. The two bodies check different things: PSQCA certifies the product against its standard, and the food authority licenses the premises and the business.
Our guide to frozen food registration explains how food authority licensing works for a new food brand.
How the licence process works for a dairy plant
PSQCA uses the same Certification Marks route for every compulsory product. For a dairy plant, each stage looks like this:
- Application. You file an application for each product with the supporting documents, and PSQCA scrutinises and registers it.
- Factory evaluation. Officers visit the plant. Expect them to look at raw milk reception and testing, the pasteurisation or UHT process and its temperature records, filling and packing hygiene, cold storage, and your laboratory.
- Sampling. Samples are drawn from the line or from finished stock.
- Testing. Samples are tested in your laboratory and at PSQCA's laboratories, for composition, microbiology and adulterants.
- Licence. If the product conforms, the licence is issued for that product and you may print the mark.
- Surveillance. PSQCA carries out periodic factory inspections and tests samples from both the plant and the market.
- Renewal. The licence is reviewed and renewed periodically, and can be suspended or cancelled if a product fails to conform.
Market sampling is where dairy brands are most exposed. A pack taken from a shop shelf reflects your whole distribution chain, so cold-chain control after the product leaves the plant is part of keeping the licence.
Documents to prepare
The core file is the same as for any PSQCA product: proof of company registration, a process flow chart, the quality manual and quality plan, raw-material specifications, a list of test equipment with calibration records, details of QC staff, test reports showing conformity, and factory layout and location plans. Our PSQCA certification checklist sets out every item.
For a dairy plant, inspectors look hardest at two things: your raw milk acceptance criteria, and the process records that show every batch reached the required temperature for the required time. Our QC laboratory guide covers the equipment a dairy lab needs.
Confirm the current application fee directly with PSQCA before filing, as fees are revised from time to time.
Tips for dairy processors
- Test raw milk at reception for fat, solids-not-fat and adulterants, and keep the daily records.
- Keep and review pasteurisation or UHT temperature logs for every batch.
- Make sure each pack label matches its product category exactly, especially milk versus whitener.
- Apply product by product. Milk, butter and whitener are each certified against a different standard.
Frequently asked questions
Is PSQCA certification compulsory for packaged milk?
Yes. Packaged liquid milk is on PSQCA's compulsory list under PS 5344.
Is tea whitener covered by PSQCA?
Yes. Liquid whitener falls under PS 5383 and powder whitener under PS 5384, and both are compulsory.
Do yogurt and cheese need PSQCA certification?
They are not on PSQCA's compulsory list at the time of writing. They still need to meet your provincial food authority's rules.
Do I still need a food authority licence?
Yes. PSQCA certification and provincial food authority licensing are separate requirements, and a dairy unit needs both.
How Connect Engineers & Consultants can help
CEC helps dairy manufacturers and importers prepare the complete PSQCA file: documentation, quality-control setup, pre-testing, readiness for the factory inspection, and follow-up until the licence is issued. We also handle company registration if you are setting up a new dairy business.
Ready to license your dairy products? See our PSQCA product certification service or talk to our team.
PSQCA's list of compulsory items and Pakistan Standards are revised from time to time. Always confirm the latest standard, fees and requirements with PSQCA before applying.
