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.
The move comes after the Maharashtra Food & Drugs Administration, which conducted a month-long investigation last year, found that the fast-food chain was using cheaper cheese substitutes like vegetable oil in burgers and nuggets.
The food regulatory body also ruled that the blueberry cheesecakes served at McDonald's cannot be defined as cheesecake because of its hydrogenated vegetable oil content.
It accused McDonald's of using cheese alternatives in several items without proper labelling, thereby misleading consumers into thinking that they are eating real cheese. It suspended the licence of a McDonald's outlet in Ahmednagar, prompting the chain to erase the word "cheese" from the description.
The suspension has now been revoked after Westlife Ltd apprised the regulator of the name changes. A copy of the letter dated Dec. 18 was seen by NDTV Profit.
A copy of the letter was seen by NDTV Profit
A copy of the letter was seen by NDTV Profit
In a statement, Westlife said "only genuine, high-quality cheese is used in all our cheese-containing products". "We are actively engaging with the competent authorities on this issue and awaiting their final clarification," the McDonald's operator said.
"We have always been adhering to stringent food standards and are fully compliant with all applicable food laws," it said. "Our commitment to transparency in our ingredients and dedication to providing delicious, high-quality meals to our customers remain unwavering."
Although the case pertains to Ahmednagar, it remains to be seen if the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India cracks down on the fast-food chain for extending the corrective action nationally.
McDonald's menu in the north and east India differs from that of west and south. Yet, the Maharashtra FDA's argument could be relevant to items like "strawberry cheesecake". NDTV Profit awaits the FSSAI's response.
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