Mumbai News: Mumbai's Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has issued a firm directive - restaurants, hotels, caterers, and fast food outlets must now clearly
disclose whether they are using cheese analogue instead of real paneer or cheese. The rule comes into effect on May 1, and violators will face strict action under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Food Safety Commissioner Shridhar Dubey-Patil announced the move after a wave of consumer complaints. Several eateries had been serving dishes labelled as "paneer" while quietly substituting it with cheese analogue - a product made not from milk, but from edible oils, starches, and emulsifiers. While the FDA has clarified that analogues are not unsafe to eat, the core issue is one of transparency and consumer rights. Real paneer is made entirely from milk. Cheese analogue may look similar and even taste close, but its nutritional profile and composition are fundamentally different. Consumers paying for paneer deserve to know exactly what they are getting on their plate. Also Read: Anger Justified': Maharashtra Minister Concedes After Viral Mumbai Rally Confrontation Under the new directive, menus, display boards, and even billing receipts must explicitly mention "cheese analogue" or "dairy analogue" wherever applicable. Packaged product manufacturers and suppliers must also label their goods correctly and avoid using names that could be confused with paneer or cheese. Everyone in the supply chain - from factory to fork - must comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. The FDA has also placed responsibility on consumers. Shoppers buying packaged paneer should read labels carefully and look for the word "analogue." Those buying loose paneer should ask sellers directly. Diners eating out should check menus for clear distinctions between paneer and analogue dishes. From May 1, what's on your plate must match what's on your menu. No more guesswork, no more substitution in silence.
