FSSAI proposes draft amendment to ensure only milk-derived products are represented as ‘Paneer’
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a draft amendment to restrict the use of the term 'Paneer' to only milk-derived products, aiming to prevent consumer deception. Products currently licensed as 'Analogue in Dairy Context' would need to discontinue using 'Paneer' in their branding.
Why it matters
This amendment seeks to protect consumers from misleading labeling and ensure product authenticity in the dairy market, potentially impacting manufacturers of plant-based or non-milk paneer alternatives.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a draft amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, to restrict the manufacture and sale of analogue products as “Paneer” and prevent consumers from being misled about the nature and composition of such products, noted a release issued by the Union Health Ministry on Thursday.
The proposed Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2026 seek to insert a new clause under Regulation 2.1.1 of the existing regulations, specifically covering “paneer made of constituents not derived from milk”.
Under the proposed amendment, products already licensed or registered under the ‘Analogue in Dairy Context’ category would be required to discontinue the use of the term “Paneer” in their nomenclature, labelling or marketing.
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