Maharashtra FDA has taken strict action against fast food giant McDonald's, accusing it of deceptive practices by substituting real cheese with other items in its burgers and nuggets. Following the suspension of a McDonald's outlet in Ahmednagar, the chain has removed the term "cheese" from various menu items. The FDA is urging McDonald's to extend corrective measures statewide and nationally.
Cheese alternatives, also known as cheese analogues, are formulated to mimic the taste, texture, and functionality of traditional dairy cheese. These substitutes, allegedly found in several McDonald's products, typically replace milk or dairy fat with more economical vegetable oil. The FDA alleges that McDonald's failed to disclose the use of cheese analogues on food labels or electronic display boards, leading consumers to believe they were consuming real cheese.
FDA commissioner Abhimanyu Kale told TOI the omission of such crucial details is outright misleading for consumers and could have health implications. "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."
The action against McDonald's started in Oct with an inspection of their Kedgaon branch in Ahmednagar. FDA issued a show-cause notice to the establishment upon discovering at least eight items contained cheese analogues. Despite McDonald's contesting the action, the outlet's license was suspended as their explanation was deemed unsatisfactory. McDonald's wrote to FDA in Dec saying they have renamed the products by deleting the word "cheese".
However, McDonald's denied using substitutes. "Regarding the removal of the word 'cheese' from our menu at McDonald's stores in Maharashtra, we want to reassure our customers that we use only real, quality cheese in all our products containing cheese. We are actively working with the relevant authorities on this matter," a spokesperson from McDonald's India (W&S) said. The company shared letters from their cheese suppliers saying the cheese sauce used in frozen cheese nuggets is produced by Dlecta Foods Pvt Ltd, and was not analogue.