NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought detailed information from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on the manufacture, licensing, sale and consumption of analogue paneer, raising concerns over its composition, nutritional profile, food safety and consumers’ right to accurate information.
The Commission is examining whether products that differ substantially from conventional milk-derived paneer are being manufactured and marketed in a manner that could create confusion among consumers.
NHRC seeks clarity on composition and testing
The NHRC has asked FSSAI to clarify the regulatory status of analogue paneer, its permitted composition, applicable food-safety standards, nutritional implications and any potential health concerns.
It has also sought information on the scientific methods available to distinguish conventional milk-derived paneer from products containing vegetable oils or fats and other non-milk ingredients.
Among the technical issues raised is the relevance of beta-sitosterol as a testing parameter for identifying the presence of vegetable fats in products represented as paneer.
The questions are significant from a food-quality perspective because the identity and composition of a dairy product determine not only its nutritional characteristics but also how it should be represented and labelled to consumers.
States and UTs asked to submit enforcement details
The NHRC has also sought information from the Chief Secretaries of all States and Union Territories regarding the manufacture, supply, sale and serving of analogue paneer.
The authorities have been asked to provide details of inspections, sampling, detected violations and enforcement action involving such products.
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The Commission is additionally examining whether consumers receive sufficiently clear information about the identity, ingredients and nutritional characteristics of products sold as or in place of conventional paneer.
The concerned authorities have been directed to submit Action Taken Reports within two weeks of receiving the notices.
Several states have already acted
The NHRC’s intervention comes shortly after Madhya Pradesh banned the sale and use of analogue paneer. Similar restrictions have reportedly been introduced in Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
The developments have brought renewed attention to the distinction between traditional milk-derived paneer and products formulated using non-milk ingredients.
For the dairy industry, the issue has implications extending beyond enforcement. Product identity, ingredient declaration, analytical testing, nutritional transparency and consumer communication are central to maintaining confidence in dairy products.
Complaint triggers NHRC action
The matter reached the NHRC following a complaint filed by the Advanced Study Institute of Asia (ASIA), Centre for Health Equity, along with a report titled “Analogue Paneer in India: A Food-Systems Threat to Health Equity.”
After considering the complaint and accompanying report, the Commission decided to take cognisance of the issues raised and seek responses from the relevant regulatory and state authorities.
The NHRC’s intervention does not by itself establish that all analogue paneer products are unsafe or illegal. Rather, it places the regulatory framework, testing procedures, labelling practices and enforcement mechanisms under scrutiny.
The forthcoming responses from FSSAI and the States and Union Territories could therefore provide important clarity on how analogue paneer is defined and regulated, how it can be analytically identified, and what information must be provided to consumers.
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