FSSAI moves to ban manufacture, sale of analogue paneer nationwide

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has moved to ban the use of the term "paneer" for analogue products made without milk-derived ingredients, proposing that such products drop "paneer" from their nomenclature, labelling and marketing.The move comes amid growing regulatory scrutiny of non-dairy paneer substitutes and follows the recent crackdown on their manufacture and sale, aimed at preventing consumers from being misled about the nature and composition of the food they are buying."

The amendment is proposed in the following regulation to restrict manufacturing and sale of analogue product as paneer so as to prevent misleading of consumers regarding the nature and composition of the product," the notification said." Products already licenced 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.The draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2026, was notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on September 22.

The notification proposes adding "paneer made of constituents not derived from milk" to the list of substances whose sale is prohibited under the relevant 2011 regulations.The proposal has been issued for public consultation. FSSAI has said objections and suggestions can be submitted within 60 days from the date copies of the notification are made available in the Gazette. The authority will consider the representations before finalising the amendment.- Ends