Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 24: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed prohibiting the use of the term “paneer” for analogue products made without milk-derived ingredients, saying such products should not use the term in their nomenclature, labelling or marketing.

The move comes amid increased regulatory scrutiny of non-dairy paneer substitutes and follows a recent crackdown on their manufacture and sale aimed at preventing consumers from being misled about the nature and composition of food products.

The draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations, 2026, was notified by FSSAI on September 22. It 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 notification states that the amendment is proposed to restrict the manufacture and sale of analogue products as paneer and prevent consumers from being misled about their nature and composition. Products already licensed or registered under the “Analogue in Dairy Context” category would also have to discontinue the use of the term “paneer” in their nomenclature, labelling and marketing.

Analogue paneer is generally made using non-dairy fats or oils, starches and other ingredients designed to replicate the appearance and texture of conventional milk-based paneer.

The proposed amendment has been issued for public consultation. FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions within 60 days from the date copies of the notification are made available in the Gazette. The authority will examine the representations before finalising the amendment.

The proposal comes against the backdrop of intensified action against analogue and non-dairy paneer in Maharashtra. On July 30, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration prohibited the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer across the state.

Action against such products has also been reported in several parts of Maharashtra, including Mumbai, Thane and Pune, as well as in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

The proposed national amendment primarily seeks to regulate how non-dairy analogue products are described and presented to consumers, particularly where the use of the word “paneer” could create the impression that the product is made from milk.

If finalised in its proposed form, products falling under the analogue category would have to use nomenclature and labelling that clearly distinguish them from milk-derived paneer.