Heritage Foods Say Fresh Paneer Label is Descriptive, Responds to FSSAI Notice
Hyderabad/New Delhi: Heritage Foods Ltd on Wednesday said it has submitted a detailed response to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on a demonstrative notice regarding the use of the term “Fresh Paneer” on product packaging, maintaining that the label describes the product accurately and does not mislead consumers.
The dairy company said ‘Fresh Paneer’ refers to the natural nature of paneer as a fresh dairy product made from pasteurized milk for refrigerated consumption with a limited shelf life and is not an exaggerated quality claim.
Explaining its position on the show cause notice issued by FSSAI regarding certain wording used on the packaging of its Fresh Paneer product, the company said in a statement that it has submitted a detailed response to the watchdog, reaffirming its commitment to food safety, regulatory compliance and consumer transparency.
“Heritage Foods stated that the term “Fresh Paneer” is used solely to describe the distinctive nature of the product and not as an exaggerated or misleading claim of quality. Paneer is, by definition, a fresh dairy product produced from pasteurized milk for refrigerated consumption within a limited shelf life. It is neither dried, reconstituted nor frozen.” he said.
Heritage Foods said its paneer is produced using fresh pasteurized milk, packaged under hygienic conditions immediately after production, transported and stored in an uninterrupted cold chain, and sold only as a chilled product without the addition of preservatives for longer shelf life.
The use of the word “Fresh” distinguishes the product from frozen, preserved or long-shelf-life varieties available on the market, the company said. It added that the packaging carries all mandatory declarations, including date of manufacture, expiration date and storage instructions, enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.
Heritage Foods also said the term “Fresh Paneer” is descriptive and widely used in the dairy industry for similar products.
Addressing the regulator’s observations on the phrase “Health and Happiness”, the company said it is a long-standing corporate slogan reflecting its philosophy of providing safe and quality food products and is not intended as a health or nutrition claim for paneer. He added that the statement uses the noun “Health” rather than the adjective “Healthy” and therefore does not describe or qualify the product.
Heritage Foods said it has consistently complied with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act and relevant regulations and values the guidance provided by FSSAI. The company said it had asked the regulator to consider its applications and was confident its response demonstrated its commitment to responsible labeling, consumer transparency and regulatory compliance.
