📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Food
FSSAI to Ban Non‑Dairy Paneer Nationwide, Target Junk Food Near Schools
✍️ Livemint
🗓 04 Sep 2026, 03:18 AM
👁 51
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) announced plans to prohibit the sale of non‑dairy paneer across the country and to tighten restrictions on junk food sold near schools.
New Delhi – The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has disclosed a draft regulation that would ban the manufacture and retail of non‑dairy paneer products nationwide. The move aims to curb misleading labeling that presents soy‑based or other plant‑based alternatives as traditional paneer, which could confuse consumers about nutritional content.
In addition to the paneer ban, the authority is preparing stricter guidelines for the sale of junk food within a 100‑metre radius of schools. The proposed curbs target items high in sugar, salt and saturated fats, seeking to protect children’s health and promote healthier eating habits.
The draft is open for public comment until the end of the month, after which FSSAI expects to finalise the rules and roll them out in the next fiscal year. Industry bodies have been invited to submit feedback, and the agency has indicated that compliance will be monitored through existing food safety inspections.
In addition to the paneer ban, the authority is preparing stricter guidelines for the sale of junk food within a 100‑metre radius of schools. The proposed curbs target items high in sugar, salt and saturated fats, seeking to protect children’s health and promote healthier eating habits.
The draft is open for public comment until the end of the month, after which FSSAI expects to finalise the rules and roll them out in the next fiscal year. Industry bodies have been invited to submit feedback, and the agency has indicated that compliance will be monitored through existing food safety inspections.