FSSAI proposes curbs on sale of non-milk products as ‘paneer’

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed restricting the manufacture and sale of analogue products as ‘paneer’, saying products made from constituents not derived from milk should not be represented as paneer.

The food regulator has proposed an amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, to specifically cover “paneer made of constituents not derived from milk.” The draft has been issued with the previous approval of the Central Government.

The government said the proposal is aimed at preventing consumers from being misled about the nature and composition of such products.

The notification states that the amendment is proposed “to restrict manufacturing and sale of analogue product as paneer so as to prevent misleading of consumer’s regarding the nature and composition of the product.”

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Under the proposed amendment, products already licensed or registered under the ‘Analogue in Dairy Context’ category would have to discontinue the use of the word ‘Paneer’ in their nomenclature, labelling or marketing.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said the draft amendment seeks to ensure that “only milk-derived products are represented as ‘Paneer’” and that the nomenclature and presentation of food products accurately reflect their nature and composition.

The proposal would insert a new clause under Regulation 2.1.1 of the 2011 regulations covering paneer made from constituents not derived from milk.

However, the proposed changes are not yet final. FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions from stakeholders and members of the public. The draft regulations will be considered 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.

The notification was dated September 22 and published in the Gazette of India on September 23.

The proposed amendment is part of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2026, which would amend the existing 2011 regulations. The principal regulations were notified in 2011 and were last amended through a notification dated May 23, 2026.