Amid reports of misleading claims linked to use of cheese substitute instead of real ingredients at McDonald’s outlets, Maharashtra’s FDA has launched a wider crackdown against fast food giant. According to a Reuters report, the Food and Drug Administration of Maharashtra will soon start the inspection of all outlets of McDonald’s in the state to check the usage of so-called cheese analogues of vegetable oil in place of real cheese. The development was confirmed by Maharashtra FDA boss Abhimanyu Kale. Apart from McDonald’s, the Reuters report adds that other big brands such as Pizza Hut, Burger King and Domino’s are also under scanner.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s biggest India franchisee, Westlife Foodworld, has said that it welcomes any kind of scrutiny as it has always maintained the highest standards of production. “We have always been adhering to stringent food standards and are fully compliant with all applicable food laws. Our commitment to transparency in our ingredients and dedication to providing delicious, high-quality meals to our customers remains unwavering,” the company had said in a statement.
Previously, several media reports had revealed how products made use of cheese analogues were found by the state officials in the McDonald’s products last year. Though Westlife Foodworld rejected the reports, the Reuters report said that in December 2023, the term cheese was missing from the names of the popular products. So instead of ‘corn and cheeseburger’, the company rechristened the product as ‘American vegetarian burger,’ the Reuters report said.
Last November, Maharashtra food inspectors had suspended the licence of a McDonald’s outlet near Mumbai in November over allegations of using analogues in products advertised as containing cheese. However, the suspension was subsequently overturned on appeal by Westlife, the franchisee. The company addressed consumer concerns online regarding its cheese products, affirming on the social network X that it sources from “globally approved gold-standard suppliers.” They emphasized that their cheese is exclusively made from real milk and does not incorporate any substitutes or analogues, as stated on Monday.