The Indian dairy giant submits a comprehensive defense to the national food safety watchdog, arguing its packaging is purely descriptive.
Indian dairy giant Heritage Foods Ltd has officially submitted a comprehensive regulatory response to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) following a show-cause notice targeting the brand’s packaging. The regulatory dispute centers on the prominent use of the term “Fresh Paneer” on its retail product packaging, which the statutory food safety watchdog flagged as potentially deceptive to everyday consumers. In its detailed brief, the processing company firmly maintained that its product labels serve as an accurate, purely descriptive characterization of the commodity rather than a misleading or exaggerated marketing claim.
Defending its market position, Heritage Foods clarified that the expression “Fresh Paneer” refers strictly to the inherent physical nature of paneer as a highly perishable dairy product requiring uninterrupted cold chain management. The enterprise stated that its formulation is manufactured using fresh, pasteurized milk that is immediately sealed under hyper-hygienic conditions post-production. By definition, true paneer is distributed exclusively as a short-shelf-life product for refrigerated consumption and is completely free from added artificial preservatives, ensuring consumers receive authentic, high-quality nutrition.
Furthermore, the agribusiness entity highlighted a clear structural distinction between its refrigerated line and alternative long-life options currently saturating the retail matrix. Because the product is neither dehydrated, reconstituted, nor subjected to deep-freezing processes, the designation “Fresh” functions as an essential, transparent indicator to help shoppers differentiate it from frozen or preserved variants. The company emphasized that its packaging explicitly bears all mandatory statutory declarations—including precise manufacturing dates, clear use-by timelines, and explicit storage directives—to fully support informed consumer purchasing choices.
The corporate defense also noted that the terminology in question is a standard descriptive phrase widely deployed across the broader Indian dairy processing landscape by multiple industry peers for similar perishable categories. Beyond the core product label, Heritage Foods addressed specific observations raised by the food safety regulator regarding its long-standing corporate slogan, “Health and Happiness.” The enterprise clarified that this iconic phrase represents an overarching corporate philosophy of safe food delivery rather than an explicit, functional nutrition or health claim specifically tied to its paneer lines.
To substantiate this linguistic distinction, the processor pointed out that the tagline intentionally employs the noun “Health” instead of the modifier “Healthy,” meaning it does not directly qualify or describe the individual food item’s properties. Reaffirming its long history of strict compliance with the core provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, Heritage Foods expressed strong appreciation for FSSAI’s regulatory oversight. The company has formally requested the central watchdog to evaluate its detailed submissions, voicing absolute confidence that the comprehensive response proves its ongoing commitment to transparent labeling, consumer trust, and institutional integrity.
Source: Deccan Chronicle
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