Karnataka bans sale of fake paneer, already in the market for one year
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The Karnataka government has prohibited the production, storage, distribution and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer being sold as “paneer” across the state for one year, officials said on Saturday.
The Food Safety Division of the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration issued the notification on August 17.
The ban covers the manufacturing, processing, packing, storage, distribution, transportation, wholesale and retail sale, display and supply of such products.
According to the department, analogue or non-dairy paneer refers to products made in the form of paneer by replacing some or all milk fat or milk solids with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients.
Such products cannot be labelled, marketed, sold or represented to consumers as paneer, officials said.
Under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, paneer is a standardised food product prepared from milk. The department said milk fat is a key constituent of paneer and its replacement with vegetable or other non-dairy ingredients is not permitted.
The department said Karnataka had tested several paneer samples and found no adulteration with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients. It said the prohibition had nevertheless been imposed in the interest of public health.
The order applies only to dairy analogue products for which specific quality standards have not been prescribed or standardised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.
It does not apply to standardised products such as frozen dessert, processed cheese and mixed fat spread, which are covered by separate standards.
The department also warned food businesses against using, storing, supplying or selling analogue or non-dairy paneer as an ingredient in preparing or manufacturing other food products.
The Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration will take measures across Karnataka to implement and enforce the order and has advised food businesses to comply with its provisions.