• Source:PTI
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A McDonald’s outlet in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district had its licence restored after it was revoked by Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for using a cheese substitute in some of its products without informing customers, an official said on Saturday. The licence was restored recently after the fast food chain filed a compliance report and changed the names of the products.

The FDA had inspected the outlet in Kedgaon in October 2023 and found that it was using a cheese analogue, which contains both milk fat and vegetable fat, instead of pure cheese, which contains only milk fat. The FDA official said that this was misleading for customers who expected real cheese in their dishes.

The FDA had suspended the licence of the outlet in November 2023 and asked McDonald’s to revise its labelling and packaging to clearly indicate the use of cheese analogue in certain products. The FDA commissioner also instructed the chain to keep customers informed about the reasons for using cheese analogue through signage, handouts and explanations. 

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McDonald’s appealed against the suspension and filed a compliance report in which it said that it had removed the word 'cheese' from the names of the products that contained cheese analogue. It also listed the ingredients on the packaging and displayed the terms cheese analogue or non-dairy cheese prominently.

Rajendra Bade, a food safety official from FDA-Ahmednagar said the American company in their compliance report stated that they had amended the labels. "Upon receiving their compliance report, a decision was made to revoke the suspension, and they have been granted permission to resume business as before," the official said as quoted by news agency PTI.

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Hardcastle Restaurant, a subsidiary of Westlife Foodworld Ltd, which has the franchisee rights to own and operate McDonald’s restaurants in west and south markets in India, said on Friday that it was engaging with the competent authorities on the issue and awaiting their final clarification. It said that it had always been adhering to stringent food standards and fully compliant with all applicable food laws.

"We are actively engaging with the competent authorities on this issue and awaiting their final clarification. We have always been adhering to stringent food standards and are fully compliant with all applicable food laws," said a statement from McDonald's India (West & South) shared on BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange) by Westlife Foodworld.

"Amid recent reports about the removal of 'Cheese' from our menu at McDonald's locations in Maharashtra, we want to assure our valued customers that only genuine, high-quality cheese is used in all our cheese-containing products," the statement said.

It further said, "Collaborating with suppliers adhering to global standards ensures top-quality cheese in our product offerings and not cheese analogues or any substitute." McDonald's India (West & South) said, "Our commitment to transparency in our ingredients and dedication to providing delicious, high-quality meals to our customers remains unwavering." 

(With PTI Inputs)