FSSAI Proposes Ban on Analogue Paneer Sale
FSSAI proposes prohibiting the manufacturing and sale of analogue paneer nationwide, following similar bans already imposed by Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Key Highlights:
- FSSAI has proposed a nationwide ban on manufacturing and sale of analogue paneer, notifying draft amendments for public consultation.
- Products already licensed under the "Analogue in Dairy Context" category must discontinue using the term "Paneer" in labelling and marketing.
- The draft regulations will be considered 60 days after publication in the Official Gazette.
- Maharashtra recently banned analogue paneer for one year after over 35% of tested samples failed quality tests due to vegetable-fat adulteration.
- Gujarat also announced a statewide ban on non-standard analogue paneer, cheese and butter, citing consumer deception and food safety concerns.
A Nationwide Proposal to Curb Misleading Labelling
India's food regulator has proposed to prohibit manufacturing and sale of analogue paneer across the country, notifying draft amendments for consultations.
The Rationale Behind the Proposal
According to the FSSAI draft, "the amendment is proposed in the following regulation to restrict manufacturing and sale of analogue product as paneer so as to prevent misleading consumers regarding the nature and composition of the product," directly addressing concerns over consumers unknowingly purchasing a non-dairy substitute under the paneer label.
Requirements for Existing Licensed Products
Products already licensed or registered under the 'Analogue in Dairy Context' category shall discontinue the use of the term "Paneer" in their nomenclature, labelling or marketing, it added, meaning that manufacturers currently operating within this category will need to rebrand their products to avoid the misleading association with genuine dairy paneer.
