Food Manifest 
Key Update
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed restricting the use of the term “paneer” for analogue paneer and cheese products. The move aims to prevent businesses from misleading consumers about the nature and composition of the food they buy.
Draft Amendment Targets Misleading Labelling
The proposed amendment covers food business operators, including hotels, restaurants and catering services, that use substitutes for traditional dairy-based paneer or cheese. Under the proposal, businesses must clearly identify products made with paneer or cheese analogues. They must also disclose this information prominently at consumer touchpoints, including menu cards and packaging labels, as required under the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations.
FSSAI Seeks to Stop Analogue Products Using ‘Paneer’
The FSSAI notification says the amendment seeks to restrict businesses from manufacturing and selling analogue products as paneer and prevent them from misleading consumers about the products’ nature and composition. Businesses that currently hold licences or registrations under the “Analogue in Dairy Context” category must stop using the term “paneer” in their product names, labels and marketing if the proposal takes effect. The proposed changes will help consumers distinguish traditional dairy-based paneer and cheese from products that use non-dairy substitutes.
Move Comes Amid Increased Food Safety Scrutiny
The proposal comes as food safety authorities intensify inspections and scrutiny of food products, particularly their labelling and composition. FSSAI has also directed States and Union Territories to strengthen surveillance of dairy and dairy-related products ahead of the festival season, when demand for these products typically increases.
Source: The Times of India
