1 hr ago
India Weighs Nationwide Analogue Paneer Ban, Food Chief Says
India is checking restaurants and packaged foods more carefully.
The food safety chief said food-rule compliance is slowly improving.
Some states have banned analogue paneer, which is made partly from ingredients other than milk.
The national food authority may consider a countrywide ban after meeting all states on September 24.
The goal is to make sure people buying paneer get milk-based paneer.
New labels may warn shoppers when foods contain high amounts of sugar, salt or fat.
These labels will need a draft rule, public comments and time for companies to change packaging.
Online shopping platforms will also need to show product manufacturing and expiry dates clearly.
FSSAI chief Rajit Punhani said a nationwide analogue paneer ban could follow a September 24 meeting with all states.
Analogue paneer, made largely with vegetable oils, starches, emulsifiers and additives, is already banned in several states.
More than 100,000 notices, about 5,000 license suspensions, over 600 arrests and around 1,900 convictions have been reported.
Front-of-package warnings for high sugar, salt and fat may use red hexagons, but implementation will require further procedures.
E-commerce platforms must display manufacturing and expiry dates prominently by September 30, according to Punhani.
- Who
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and its chief, Rajit Punhani, along with state governments and food manufacturers.
- What
- Officials are considering a nationwide ban on analogue paneer and developing warning labels for foods high in sugar, salt or fat.
- Where
- Across India, with some state-level analogue paneer bans already in place.
- When
- The all-states meeting is scheduled for September 24; e-commerce date-display changes have a September 30 deadline. Other implementation timing was not specified.
- Why
- To improve food-safety compliance, ensure paneer is milk-based, and help consumers identify products high in sugar, salt or fat.
Key facts
- Food safety actions
- More than 100,000 notices have been issued, around 5,000 licenses suspended, and penalties imposed in about 33,000 cases.
- Arrests and convictions
- More than 600 people have been arrested and around 1,900 convictions made.
- Analogue paneer
- It is described as being made mostly with vegetable oils, starches, emulsifiers and other additives.
- State bans
- The article says eight states, including Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, have banned analogue paneer.
- Proposed food warnings
- Front-of-package warnings for high sugar, salt or fat are likely to use red hexagonal labels, pending the final decision.
- Regulatory process
- Authorities must issue a draft notification, invite comments, post it on the World Trade Organization website and allow time for relabelling.
- Online product information
- E-commerce platforms must display manufacturing and expiry dates prominently by September 30.
Quotes
Rajit Punhani
Chief of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
“It is when there are violations that gets highlighted in the media. So it is not that everyone is violating but the violations get highlighted.”
NDTV
“Overall that ecosystem of compliance is gradually coming in and we notice now that the percentage of violations is coming down.”
NDTV
Sources
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