Delhi HC Seeks Response Over Non-Dairy Paneer Sale
Delhi High Court seeks response from Centre and FSSAI over allegations that non-dairy analogues are being sold as genuine paneer in restaurants.
The Delhi High Court has stepped into a growing controversy regarding food transparency, issuing notices to the Central Government, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and the Delhi government. The court is seeking their responses to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that non-dairy products are being sold and served to unsuspecting consumers under the guise of genuine paneer.
The Core Allegation: Misleading Consumers
A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma issued the notices following concerns that dairy analogue products—substitutes made from non-milk ingredients—are being passed off as milk-based paneer. The petitioners argue that when customers visit hotels and restaurants to order paneer-based dishes, they do so with the natural expectation of consuming a milk-derived product.
The legal counsel representing the petitioners highlighted a significant gap in consumer awareness, stating: “It can be a replicate. It looks and tastes like paneer. There is no disclosure or way of knowing or discovering.”
Violation of Food Safety Standards
When the court inquired about the specific statutory rights being infringed upon, the petitioners pointed toward the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011. These regulations establish strict standards for food products and their specific ingredients to ensure consumer safety and honesty in labeling.
The plea emphasizes several critical concerns:
- Lack of Disclosure: Consumers are not being informed when a product labeled as paneer is actually made from ingredients other than milk.
- Nutritional Discrepancies: There are significant differences in the nutritional composition between authentic milk-based paneer and non-dairy substitutes.
- Misrepresentation: While the petition does not call for a total ban on dairy analogues, it demands an end to their misrepresentation as conventional paneer.
Urgent Plea for Festive Season Inspections
Given the high volume of food consumption during the current festive season, the petitioners have requested interim directions for immediate sampling and inspections. With Navratri and Dussehra underway, the plea argues that the risk of mass consumption of undisclosed substitutes is particularly high.
The litigation ultimately seeks a more rigorous implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 within the national capital. The goal is to ensure stronger inspections, more frequent testing, and stricter enforcement to prevent restaurants, hotels, and eateries from misleading the public about the nature of the food they serve.