Maharashtra Bans Fake Paneer, Violators Face ₹1 Lakh Fine
Maharashtra bans analogue paneer production and sale, with violators facing up to ₹1 lakh fine under food safety rules.
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In a major crackdown on adulterated dairy products, Maharashtra has banned the manufacture, processing, storage, transport, distribution and sale of analogue paneer (non-dairy paneer) in the entire state.
Maharashtra has become the second state after Chhattisgarh to ban the sale of imitation paneer products.
“All activities related to analogue paneer should be stopped,” ordered Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe. The move was aimed at avoiding consumers being misled by products that look like traditional dairy paneer but are made from non-dairy ingredients, authorities said.
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Strict Penalties:
Violating the order under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 can attract imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh. The law states that if food found to be unsafe results in death, then life imprisonment is mandatory with a minimum fine of ₹10 lakh.
Selling analogue paneer as regular dairy paneer is misleading consumers and an unfair trade practice, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said. Food businesses, traders and manufacturers were warned against contravening the directive.
According to officials, analogue paneer is usually prepared with ingredients such as vegetable fats, palm oil, and other non-dairy substitutes instead of milk fat. They are very similar in appearance and texture to paneer but the sale of such products without proper labelling and disclosure has been questioned.
The ban comes after a debate on imitation dairy products in the Maharashtra Assembly last year where legislators had called for tougher action against analogue paneer.
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FDA Crackdown:
The move follows increased action by the Maharashtra FDA against adulterated dairy products. Officials have been raiding suspected units manufacturing synthetic milk and fake paneer since May.
In a single operation, authorities seized about 1,400 kg of suspected fake paneer from a warehouse in Pune’s Manjari Khurd. They also found raw materials allegedly used to make imitation dairy products, including skimmed milk powder, glycerol monostearate (GMS) powder and palm oil.
The FDA has also been carrying out inspections at restaurants, hotels and food establishments across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra to improve hygiene standards and ensure food quality compliance.
