Is your paneer really paneer? The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed changes that could stop products made with non-dairy ingredients from being sold or marketed as “Paneer”.The proposed amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, aim to make it clearer whether consumers are buying traditional dairy-based paneer or a dairy analogue made using non-dairy substitutes.Under the draft rules, products already licensed or registered under the “Analogue in Dairy Context” category would have to stop using the term “Paneer” in their nomenclature, labelling or marketing if they are made from constituents not derived froThe FSSAI notification said, “The amendment is proposed in the following regulation to restrict manufacturing and sale of analogue product as paneer so as to prevent misleading of consumers regarding the nature and composition of the product. Products already licensed or registered under ‘Analogue in Dairy Context’ category shall discontinue the use of the term “Paneer” in their nomenclature, labelling or marketing.“
What actually qualifies as paneer?
The draft amendment draws a distinction between paneer and products made from constituents that are not derived from milk. Under the proposal, products made with non-dairy ingredients and falling under the ‘Analogue in Dairy Context’ category cannot use “Paneer” in their nomenclature, labelling or marketing.In other words, products made from constituents not derived from milk would be treated as analogue products under the proposal and would not be able to use the term “Paneer” to identify or market themselves.The issue has come into focus over products made using vegetable oil and other non-dairy ingredients being presented as paneer. According to the inputs, this has raised concerns around consumers being misled, food safety and the impact on genuine dairy producers.FSSAI said the proposed changes are aimed at ensuring that the nomenclature and presentation of food products accurately reflect their nature and composition, enabling consumers to make informed choices.
What will change for restaurants and food businesses?
The proposed rules would also affect food businesses that use paneer or cheese substitutes, including hotels, restaurants and catering services.Products made using paneer or cheese analogues would have to be clearly identified to consumers. Businesses using such products would need to disclose the information prominently at consumer touchpoints, including menu cards and packaging labels, in line with the Food Safety and Standards (labelling and display) Regulations.The proposal is therefore not limited to packaged products. It would also require businesses using substitutes for traditional dairy-based paneer or cheese to make that information clear to consumers.
Why analogue paneer is facing scrutiny
Several state governments have already taken action against analogue paneer.Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration recently banned the production, distribution and sale of artificial ‘analogue’ paneer for one year, citing public health concerns. The action followed laboratory findings in which more than 35 per cent of recent paneer samples tested in the state failed quality tests due to vegetable-fat adulteration.Gujarat also announced a statewide ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of non-standard analogue paneer, cheese and butter. The move cited concerns over consumer deception, food safety and the protection of the state’s dairy sector.According to the inputs, products made from vegetable oil and other non-dairy ingredients were being presented as paneer, misleading consumers, harming genuine dairy producers and raising food safety concerns.The FSSAI proposal comes amid increased food safety inspections and regulatory scrutiny over the labelling and composition of food products. The regulator has taken action against several food businesses following inspections that found food safety violations and non-compliance.FSSAI has also suspended licences and issued prohibition orders in cases involving non-compliant ghee products and adulteration concerns.
FSSAI invites objections on draft rules
The proposed changes are not yet final. FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders and members of the public on the draft amendment.The draft regulations “shall be taken into consideration after the expiry of a period of sixty days from the date on which copies of the Official Gazette in which this notification is published are made available to the public”.Objections or suggestions can be addressed to the chief executive officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), FDA Bhawan, Kotla Road, New Delhi, 110002, or submitted through the email address specified in the notification.The proposed amendment has been issued with the previous approval of the Central Government under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The principal Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations were notified in 2011 and have been amended from time to time.
Leave a Reply