FSSAI proposes to ban 'paneer' label for substitute products, ensure strict disclosure

NEW DELHI: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed restricting the use of the term “paneer” for analogue paneer and cheese products, seeking to prevent consumers from being misled about the nature and composition of the food they buy.The proposed amendment would affect food business operators, including hotels, restaurants and catering services, that use substitutes for traditional dairy-based paneer or cheese products.Under the proposal, products made using paneer or cheese analogues would have to be clearly identified to consumers. The FSSAI said businesses using such products must 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 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 consumer’s 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."The proposal also states that products already licensed or registered under the ‘Analogue in Dairy Context’ category would have to discontinue the use of the term “Paneer” in their nomenclature, labelling or marketing.The FSSAI said the proposed changes are aimed at ensuring consumers are not misled about products that are not traditional dairy-based paneer or cheese.The proposal comes amid increased food safety inspections and regulatory scrutiny over the labelling and composition of food products.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.