The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has proposed new rules that would prevent products made with non-dairy ingredients from being marketed or labelled as paneer, in a move intended to make a clearer distinction between traditional dairy paneer and analogue products containing plant-based fats and other substitutes.
Under the draft proposal, the word “paneer” would effectively be reserved for products conforming to the existing dairy definition. Businesses making products registered or licensed under the “Analogue in Dairy Context” category would no longer be allowed to use paneer in their product names, labels or promotional material.
The proposed amendment would introduce a new provision under Regulation 2.1.1 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. It specifically addresses products resembling paneer but manufactured from constituents that are not derived from milk.
The draft was published in the Gazette of India on September 23. FSSAI has invited comments, objections and suggestions from stakeholders within 60 days of publication. The proposal therefore remains at the draft stage and does not currently amount to an immediate prohibition on the sale of analogue products.
Existing food standards define paneer, also known as chhana, as a product prepared from cow milk, buffalo milk or a combination of the two, using permitted acidulants for coagulation.
Analogue versions, on the other hand, may be formulated using ingredients such as vegetable oils or fats, starches, plant proteins and emulsifiers. These products can be manufactured to resemble dairy paneer closely in colour, texture and cooking behaviour.
The similarity becomes particularly important when the product is served in restaurants, institutional kitchens or prepared dishes. Once cut into cubes or incorporated into curries, consumers may find it difficult to visually distinguish conventional paneer from an analogue product.
FSSAI’s proposal follows action already taken in parts of the country. Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka have introduced measures concerning analogue paneer. In April this year, FSSAI’s West Region also warned that selling a cheese analogue under the name paneer violated food safety requirements and instructed manufacturers to use accurate product descriptions.
The proposed rule would not prevent manufacturers from producing or selling plant-fat alternatives. It would, however, require such products to be sold under a name that does not represent them as conventional paneer.
The development also adds to a broader discussion within the packaged food industry over the accuracy of product descriptions and the extent to which names used on labels should reflect actual ingredients. If finalised, the amendment would create a national labelling framework specifically distinguishing milk-based paneer from products designed to imitate it.