look news india
Mumbai: The license of multinational fast food giant McDonald's Ahmednagar outlet has been suspended by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration for using vegetable oil products instead of original cheese in items including cheese burgers, cheese cakes, cheese dip. According to the FDA, the company should have made it clear to consumers that it was actually using imitation cheese made with other fatty substances rather than the original cheese. But, the company took no such precautions in its food labeling and consumers were misled into believing that cheese-containing items were themselves healthy.
Fast food industries use cheese analogs i.e. food products similar to cheese in terms of taste, texture and usage. Many fast food chains use it. These fake cheeses are actually made from substances like vegetable oil. Any fast food chain that uses the word cheese in its foods must inform consumers clearly and in large font in its labeling that they are using cheese analogs, i.e., imitation cheese, not dairy cheese.
The FDA says consumers are being misled by not providing information on the restaurants' electronic display boards or labels that a cheese substitute was used at the Kaggaon branch. There should be clear labeling stating that the item is made from cheese analogs and not cheese itself. The FDA Commissioner ordered that the font of the letters should be large and written in different colors. The order states that nutritional information such as fat, protein etc. should be mentioned in such items. Nutrient information should be available on 40 percent of the total space of the electronic display board.
It should be mentioned that analogs are used in menu frames. The customer may be concerned or because vegetable oil is high in transfat, fat people may not want to eat, so it is necessary to mention this possibility in the menu card.
According to the Food and Drug Authorities, other McDonald's outlets and fast food outlets of other companies will also be investigated to see if this rule is properly implemented.
Following the FDA notice, the outlet replaced the word 'cheesy' with 'cheesy'. However, the FDA disapproved of the company's actions and suspended its license.
