Food delivery platform Zomato has tightened its food quality rules by banning dishes containing analogue dairy products from its platform with immediate effect. The move covers analogue paneer, cheese and other dairy substitutes used by restaurants. Under the new policy, dishes that restaurants have already declared as containing analogue dairy have been removed from Zomato. The company has also instructed its restaurant partners to take corrective steps and switch to natural dairy ingredients wherever possible.

For restaurants that cannot immediately replace the ingredients, Zomato has directed them to remove the affected dishes from their online menus. Establishments that continue to violate the policy could face delisting from the platform. Zomato has also asked restaurants to carefully check ingredient labels and declarations supplied by their vendors. The aim is to ensure that the products listed on the platform accurately reflect what customers are actually being served. Analogue dairy products are substitutes designed to resemble traditional dairy ingredients but may use non-dairy components such as vegetable oils or other alternatives. Analogue paneer, for instance, is different from conventional paneer made primarily from milk.

The decision comes amid increased scrutiny of non-dairy paneer and other substitute products across India. Maharashtra has already prohibited the manufacture and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer, while other states have also introduced restrictions. Zomato said the latest move is aimed at improving transparency, food quality and consumer trust. The company has emphasised that customers should receive food that is accurately represented and meets the expected standards. With the new policy, restaurants operating on Zomato will now have to pay closer attention to the ingredients used in their dishes. The crackdown could also push more establishments towards genuine dairy products and clearer disclosure of ingredients to consumers.