In response to the growing prevalence of adulterated cheese in the market, the Chandigarh administration has now directed hotels, restaurants, and eateries to publicly disclose the quality of cheese used. Learn more about the matter.
Chandigarh administration strict on adulteration of paneer
Amid complaints and investigations into adulterated cheese in Chandigarh, the administration has implemented a new regulation for food businesses. Hotels, restaurants, eateries, fast-food outlets, sweet shops, and caterers in the city will now be required to provide accurate information about the cheese or cheese-like products they use. This is to ensure customers are aware of the type of cheese being used in their food.
The Food Safety Administration and the Department of Health have instructed food business operators to provide accurate information about the cheese and cheese-like products they use in their food. This will help customers determine whether the cheese they are consuming is safe for them.
Information to be provided on the menu card
The new rule may also impact hotel and restaurant menus. According to the administration's directives, food establishments must prominently display on the menu or in a prominent location on the premises the type of cheese or cheese-like product they are using. Products such as dairy analogs differ in texture and nutrition from regular dairy cheese. Therefore, prior information will help customers make informed decisions about their food. The administration is particularly emphasizing the prevention of products containing vegetable oil from being served as cheese.
It is important to keep the purchase bill and supplier information.
The administration has also instructed food businesses to purchase cheese, milk, and other raw materials only from manufacturers registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). To do this, the supplier's license or registration and purchase bills must be preserved. This will benefit the food industry by making it easier to identify the supplier from whom a product was purchased during an investigation if a complaint arises regarding its quality. These bills and supplier information prove crucial in food safety inspections.
Instructions will also apply to caterers.
This rule won't be limited to hotels and restaurants. Caterers preparing food for weddings, parties, and other large events will also be required to provide information about the cheese or cheese-like products they use. Caterers play a crucial role in weddings and large events in Chandigarh. Therefore, the administration is trying to ensure that information about food items isn't limited to regular restaurants, but caterers are also required to provide this information.
Paneer was banned in these states before Chandigarh.
The government has now become very strict regarding adulterated cheese in the country. Eight states have already banned the sale of fake or adulterated cheese. These include Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Karnataka.
