Delhi HC seeks FSSAI’s opinion in PIL case against non-dairy, analogue paneer

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The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (Oct 14, 2026) asked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Center and the Delhi government to respond to a petition raising concerns over the sale of milk analogues or non-dairy products like paneer (cottage cheese) to unsuspecting consumers.

While paneer is a standardized dairy product under the food safety regime, the non-dairy analogue product contains non-dairy ingredients and lacks the same nutritional value, the petitioners argued.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin W. Sambre and Justice Sanjay Singh issued notices to the FSSAI, the Union government and the Delhi government on the petition filed by Ridhima Singh and Avlokiteshwar Padmapani Sidharth and asked them to submit their replies within six weeks.

The petitioners argued that a person consuming a paneer-based product in a hotel or restaurant had no way of ascertaining whether the dish was prepared using real paneer or a milk analogue.

They sought urgent directions from the court in view of the festive season and argued that the authorities should conduct sampling and testing of paneer and products represented as paneer in the market.

“They do; they have placed the statistics (before us) for that purpose,” replied the Bench.

Gujarat, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra have already taken action against non-dairy paneer, said the plea seeking directions to prevent the manufacture, supply, sale or service of milk analogue paneer in the state capital.

The plea also prayed for directions to the authorities to ensure that hotels, restaurants, caterers, restaurants, cloud kitchens and e-commerce food businesses provide clear information about the use of analogue/non-dairy substitutes in their food.

“A consumer who knowingly purchases a product correctly labeled as an analogue or non-dairy substitute is making an informed choice. However, a consumer who purchases or orders paneer is entitled to a product that meets the statutory description of paneer and should not unknowingly be supplied with a product in which the essential milk components have been replaced with vegetable fat, vegetable oil or other non-dairy ingredients,” the petition said.

Published – 14 Oct 2026 15:13 IST