Maharashtra FDA slams McDonald's over cheese substitutes

Maharashtra FDA (Food and Drug Administration) on Friday, 23 February, slammed McDonald's for using cheaper vegetable oil in burgers and nuggets instead of real cheese, reports The Times of India.

According to information, the FDA has suspended the license of the fast food giant's outlet in Ahmedabad and also pushed it to erase the word "cheese" from the items.

FDA officials informed TOI that the food outlet allegedly used substitutes in several items replacing milk or dairy products with 'cheap' vegetable oil.

FDA commissioner Abhimanyu Kale told TOI, "During inspection, our officers did not find any mention of cheese analogues anywhere. Items like 'cheese nuggets', 'cheesy dip', and 'cheese burger' were being labelled as such without indicating that the cheese was a substitute," he said. "Most other fast food pizza and burger joints could be indulging in the same practice. We plan to investigate these chains as well."

According to TOI, McDonald's first came under FDI lens in October 2023 after its officials inspected one of its outlets in Ahmedabad and discovered that at least eight items contained cheese analogues.

The FDA claims that the fast food giant failed to disclose the use of cheese analogues on food labels or electronic display boards, potentially posing health risks to consumers, The Economic Times reported.

The food regulatory body also ruled that blueberry cheesecakes served at McDonald's cannot be defined as cheesecake because of its hydrogenated vegetable oil content.

The FDA has also asked people with knowledge of any food safety violations to contact the department helpline number 022-26592362/63/64 between 9 am to 5 pm. Also, they can email complaints at whogmp.mahafda@gmail.com.

Meanwhile, Westlife Foodworld Ltd., the operator of McDonald's chain of restaurants in west and south India, has renamed its products in select markets by deleting the word "cheese" from the nomenclature of the items.