New Delhi, September 25 (APAC Media): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed restricting the manufacture and sale of analogue products being marketed as “paneer” across the country.
The food regulator has issued draft amendments to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, inviting objections and suggestions from stakeholders and the public.
Existing Analogue Products to Drop ‘Paneer’ Name
Under the proposed amendment, 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 and marketing.
FSSAI said the proposed changes are aimed at preventing consumers from being misled about the nature and composition of products that are not made from milk-derived constituents.
The draft proposal specifically seeks to address paneer made from constituents not derived from milk and is intended to ensure that food products are presented under names that accurately reflect their composition.
States Step Up Action Against Analogue Paneer
The proposed national-level changes come amid increased regulatory action against dairy analogues being sold or presented as paneer.
FSSAI’s West Region had earlier issued a public notice stating that cheese analogue products sold as paneer violate food safety and labelling requirements.
Maharashtra has also taken action against the manufacture and sale of artificial analogue paneer, while Gujarat has announced restrictions targeting non-standard analogue dairy products.
The proposed FSSAI amendment is currently not a final nationwide ban. Since it is a draft regulation, stakeholders and members of the public have been given an opportunity to submit objections and suggestions.
The proposal will be considered after 60 days from the date the relevant Official Gazette copies are made available to the public.
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