India
FSSAI Proposes Nationwide Ban on Non-Dairy 'Paneer' Products
India's food regulator aims to safeguard consumer interests by restricting the use of the term 'paneer' exclusively to products derived from milk.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has initiated a significant regulatory change, proposing a nationwide ban on the production and sale of non-dairy analogue products that are currently marketed under the 'paneer' label. This move is primarily driven by a desire to protect consumer interests and address concerns regarding potentially misleading product nomenclature.
The proposed legislation, titled the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2026, aims to insert a new clause into the existing regulatory framework. Specifically, this amendment will target Regulation 2.1.1, introducing a provision that explicitly covers "paneer made of constituents not derived from milk." This effectively prohibits any product not exclusively made from milk-derived ingredients from being termed 'paneer'.
Under the proposed changes, products categorised as 'Analogue in Dairy Context' would be required to completely discontinue the use of dairy terminology. The FSSAI has stated that this measure is intended to eliminate the practice of marketing imitation products as genuine paneer, ensuring clarity and accuracy in product labelling across the country.
This regulatory intervention underscores the FSSAI's commitment to consumer protection. By clearly defining what can be labelled as 'paneer', the authority seeks to prevent confusion and ensure that consumers can make informed purchasing decisions, confident that products bearing the 'paneer' name are genuinely milk-derived.
Reporting by the The Indian Morning Post Editorial Desk.
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