The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has confirmed that McDonald’s India utilises 100 per cent genuine cheese, Westlife Foodworld stated in a regulatory filing on Tuesday.
“The verification confirms the brand’s assertion that it uses 100% Real Cheese and that it does not use any cheese analogues or substitutes in any of its products,” the company said.
Furthermore, the west and south zones of McDonald’s India have received the results of tests conducted by a NABL-accredited lab, validating the usage of 100 per cent genuine cheese in all of its items, Westlife stated.
Westlife Foodworld recently came under fire after one of its stores allegedly utilised replacements in place of real cheese in burgers and nuggets at a Maharashtra location, leading the state government to order an inspection.
Saurabh Kalra, Managing Director of Westlife, which oversees McDonald’s activities in West and South India, has responded to FDA concerns. Kalra reiterated the company’s cooperation with any inspections, stating that McDonald’s adheres to the “highest standards.”
The FDA took action by suspending the licence of a McDonald’s restaurant in Ahmednagar. This resulted in the elimination of the name “cheese” from several menu items. However, the licence suspension was eventually overturned.
The regulatory agency accused McDonald’s of employing cheese mimics without sufficient notification, perhaps causing customers to believe they were eating real cheese. The state FDA has recommended the fast-food business to adopt corrective steps not just at the local level, but also on a larger scale, perhaps extending globally.
