Business EconomyPosted at: Sep 24 2026 5:47PM


FSSAI proposes ban on non-milk products using 'Paneer' name

New Delhi, Sep 24 (UNI) The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a major change in the way paneer and paneer-like products are manufactured, labelled and sold, seeking to stop dairy analogues from being marketed simply as "paneer".
The proposal is aimed at protecting consumers from being misled about the nature and composition of the food product they are purchasing.
Under the proposed amendment, products made using non-milk ingredients that fall under the "analogue in dairy context" category would no longer be permitted to use the term "paneer" in their name, label or marketing.
The move assumes significance as imitation dairy products that resemble conventional paneer can look similar to consumers, despite having a different composition.
According to the FSSAI notification, products currently licensed or registered under the "Analogue in Dairy Context" category would have to discontinue the use of the word "paneer" in their nomenclature, labelling and promotional material.
The proposed restriction is intended to ensure that consumers are not led to believe that a product is traditional paneer when it is actually made using ingredients that are not derived from milk.
In other words, a product that is not paneer cannot be presented to consumers as paneer simply because it resembles the dairy product.
FSSAI has also proposed mandatory disclosures for businesses that use paneer analogues or cheese analogues in their products.
Such information would have to be provided to consumers in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations.
Importantly, the disclosure would need to be made prominently at consumer touchpoints, including packaging and menu cards.
This means that consumers ordering a food item at a restaurant or buying a packaged product should be able to identify when an analogue has been used instead of the conventional dairy ingredient.
For a consumer, the issue is not merely about the name printed on a packet or menu.
The composition of a food product can influence purchasing decisions, particularly when consumers specifically intend to buy a dairy-based product.
Analogue products may be designed to replicate the appearance, texture or functionality of paneer or cheese while using ingredients other than conventional dairy constituents.
FSSAI's proposed amendment seeks to make that distinction clearer at the point of purchase.
Businesses would also be prohibited from presenting products containing paneer or cheese analogues in a way that creates the impression that they are traditional dairy products.
The FSSAI proposal also brings the focus back to how food products are described across online marketplaces, quick-commerce apps, restaurants and physical stores.
For consumers shopping online, product descriptions and labels can often be the primary source of information available before placing an order.
Clear disclosure of whether a product contains conventional dairy ingredients or an analogue therefore becomes particularly important.
The proposed changes would reinforce the principle that food businesses must not rely on names, descriptions or presentation that could create a misleading impression about a product's composition. UNI VK SAS
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