FSSAI proposes draft amendment to ensure only milk-derived products are represented as ‘Paneer’

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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. Image for representation only | Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

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.

The proposed amendment is aimed at ensuring that the nomenclature and presentation of food products accurately reflect their nature and composition, thereby enabling consumers to make informed choices.

As the notification is a draft regulation, FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders and members of the public. The draft regulations will be taken into consideration after the expiry of 60 days from the date on which copies of the Official Gazette containing the notification are made available to the public.

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