Maharashtra will examine international fast-food businesses following the McDonald's cheese crackdown: Report

 Maharashtra, an Indian state in the west, is looking more closely at McDonald's restaurants and other international fast-food companies to make sure that labelling laws pertaining to cheese use are being followed. This move is in response to information that some goods contain fake cheese that is promoted as real cheese, raising concerns about misleading consumers.

McDonald's, which is owned by Westlife Foodworld, came under fire last year when it was revealed that several of their items used cheese substitutes made from vegetable oil rather than real cheese. The McDonald's franchisee chose to remove references to cheese from the names of some goods, even though there were differences of opinion regarding these findings.

The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration is planning to investigate McDonald's restaurants as well as other well-known fast-food chains to ensure that labelling laws are being followed in response to this problem. Although the precise brands that were to be inspected were not revealed, it is expected that chains like Domino's, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and KFC will be among them.

State authorities have the authority to suspend restaurant licences in cases where violations of food and safety laws lead to consumer misinformation. The McDonald's franchisee, Westlife, has reaffirmed its dedication to upholding high standards and stated that it is willing to work with inspections.

When Reuters contacted other fast-food chains, they did not reply, suggesting that they were handling the situation cautiously. As the second most populated state in India and the location of several important cities, including Mumbai, Maharashtra offers a sizable market for international fast-food businesses.

A McDonald's restaurant had its licence revoked in the past for allegedly using cheese substitutes in goods that were promoted as having genuine cheese. But after Westlife filed an appeal, the punishment was later lifted.

Online, McDonald's informed customers that it strictly abides by quality requirements, using cheese that comes from certified suppliers, and makes its cheese entirely from real milk with no analogues or substitutions.