The food delivery platform Zomato has adopted a strict stance regarding analog dairy products. The company has removed items from its service that indicated the use of substitutes for real cheeses, cottage cheese, or other dairy products. Furthermore, Zomato has recommended that restaurants use natural dairy products. If this requirement is not met, the restaurant will be excluded from the platform.
Zomato made this decision to control the negative health impact that such products can cause. Analog dairy products are items that resemble dairy products in appearance and taste but are made not from real milk, but using other fats or oils. For example, cottage cheese, cheese, cream, and butter are traditionally made from milk, but if they are created based on oil or another fat, they are called analog dairy products.
There is an accusation that many restaurant owners failed to inform customers whether real dairy products or their analogs were used in the dishes.
Professor Dr. Kishor from the Department of Medicine at Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi explained how to minimize harm to health. He noted that products made from real milk contain protein, calcium, and other nutrients, which are absent in analog dairy products. Instead, they may contain starch, palm oil, sodium, or various additives.
Although consuming these products will not lead to immediate illnesses, excessive consumption can harm health. It is important to analyze the composition and quantity of ingredients used. Perhaps this is why the decision was made to protect people from analog dairy products.
In dishes such as sandwiches, momos, sweets, and many others served outside the home, cheese, cream, butter, or other dairy products are often used. If information about the product used is not clear, it becomes difficult for the consumer to understand what exactly they are eating. This is why proper labeling of such products is necessary.