Delhi High Court Seeks FSSAI Response on Fake Paneer Sale Petition

A bench comprising acting Chief Justice Nitin W Sambre and Justice Sanjay Singh issued notices to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Union government and the Delhi government on Wednesday, seeking their responses within six weeks on a public interest litigation challenging the sale of non-dairy paneer alternatives.

The petition, filed by Ridhima Singh and Avlokiteshwar Padmapani Sidharth, raises concerns that consumers ordering paneer-based dishes at restaurants and hotels have no way of knowing whether they are being served genuine paneer or a dairy analogue product. The petitioners argue that while paneer is a standardised dairy product regulated under food safety norms, non-dairy analogues contain non-milk ingredients and lack equivalent nutritional value.

The petitioners contended that the current regulatory framework does not adequately protect consumers from such deceptive practices. They sought urgent court directions, citing concerns particularly relevant during festive seasons when paneer consumption increases significantly across Indian households and dining establishments.

The case highlights growing concerns about food product substitution and labelling transparency in India's food service sector. The FSSAI and government agencies will now need to clarify their enforcement mechanisms and proposed safeguards to prevent misrepresentation of dairy analogue products in the marketplace.