Archive · 25 Sep 2026
FSSAI Proposes Nationwide Ban on Calling Analogue Products Paneer
India’s food safety authority wants to stop non-dairy products from being called paneer.
Paneer is a dairy food made from whole milk.
Some substitute products are made with ingredients such as palm oil, starches and emulsifiers.
The proposed rules would stop these products from using “paneer” on their packages.
They also could not use the word in advertisements or on menus.
The rules would cover making, selling and distributing these products.
The proposal is part of draft food safety regulations for 2026.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has proposed the change nationwide.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India proposed nationwide restrictions on non-dairy products labeled as “paneer.”
The draft regulations would prohibit manufacturing, selling or distributing such products under the term “paneer.”
The restrictions would apply to packaging, advertisements and menus.
Analogue products may contain palm oil, plant starches, emulsifiers and skimmed milk powder.
The proposal says real paneer is made from whole milk, unlike the described analogue versions.
- Who
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India proposed the restrictions.
- What
- A nationwide ban is proposed on manufacturing, selling or distributing non-dairy analogue products labeled as “paneer.”
- When
- The proposal appears in the draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations 2026.
- Where
- Across India.
- Why
- To prevent non-dairy analogue products from being presented or labeled as paneer.
- Proposing authority
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
- Geographic scope
- Nationwide in India
- Regulatory document
- Draft Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Amendment Regulations 2026
- Restricted term
- “Paneer”
- Affected products
- Non-dairy analogue products
- Examples of ingredients
- Palm oil, plant starches, emulsifiers and skimmed milk powder
- Permitted basis of real paneer
- Whole milk