Telangana’s one-year ban comes amid a wider crackdown on analogue paneer, with states and FSSAI stepping up scrutiny of non-dairy products sold as conventional paneer
The Telangana government has prohibited the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer across the state for one year, adding to a growing crackdown on products that are sold as conventional paneer despite containing non-milk ingredients.
The order, issued by Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) Commissioner Avinash Mohanty, took effect immediately on Friday, 11 September. It was notified through Notification No. 807 in the official gazette on 10 September 2026.
The prohibition covers artificial, non-dairy or analogue paneer in any form, including products manufactured, stored, distributed or sold as “paneer” or under any other name. The order has been issued under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with violations subject to action under the Act and the rules and regulations framed under it.
The latest move comes as several states have moved against analogue paneer since August. Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab have issued orders covering different parts of the manufacture and sale chain, while Uttarakhand has also been reported to have taken action.
Maharashtra imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation and sale of analogue paneer after food safety testing found around 35 per cent of paneer and analogue samples failing standards, with some declared unsafe. Karnataka subsequently notified a one-year prohibition covering the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer when sold as “paneer”.
Telangana Inspections
The Telangana action follows inspections conducted by TG SAFE in coordination with the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) of the city police at 14 establishments involved in the manufacture and sale of paneer and other dairy products.
During the inspections, officials found loose palm oil and glycerol monostearate being used at some facilities to prepare products identified as analogue paneer. Authorities seized around one tonne of palm oil, 476 kg of glycerol monostearate, 1,760 packs of Mavee’s Classic Premium Cooking Cream and 150 kg of skimmed milk powder.
Since its launch, H-FAST has registered more than 180 cases and seized over 1.5 tonnes of synthetic paneer.
What Is Analogue Paneer?
Analogue paneer is a paneer-like product designed to resemble traditional milk-based paneer, but in which part or all of the milk fat or milk solids are replaced with non-milk ingredients.
Such products can use vegetable oils or fats along with ingredients such as skimmed milk powder, starch, emulsifiers and stabilisers. They can be cheaper to produce and may have a longer shelf life than conventional paneer. They can also differ nutritionally from genuine paneer, particularly in their protein and milk-fat content.
The existence of an analogue product does not, by itself, mean that it is unsafe or illegal. The regulatory issue has largely centred on products being represented or sold as conventional “paneer” without making their non-dairy composition clear to consumers.
FSSAI Tightens Focus On Labelling
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has also taken a stronger position on the issue. In an 29 April 2026 notice, the regulator said selling cheese analogue as “paneer” was a grave violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act and called for such practices to stop. It also stressed accurate naming when analogue products are supplied to restaurants, hotels and cloud kitchens.
FSSAI had also considered requiring food businesses using dairy analogues to clearly identify them as “Non-dairy” or “Analogue” before the relevant dairy term, such as “Analogue Kadhai Paneer”, so that consumers are aware that the product is not conventional milk-based paneer.
The issue has since moved beyond individual state orders. In late August, FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani indicated that a nationwide ban on analogue paneer could be announced, following action by several states and a request from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for clarifications from FSSAI and states and Union territories on the products’ composition, health impact and testing.
As of early September 2026, however, no blanket nationwide ban had been formally notified.
Crackdown Extends Beyond Government Agencies
The scrutiny has also reached food-delivery platforms. Zomato announced a zero-tolerance policy on dishes containing analogue dairy on its platform on 31 August. Restaurants that had disclosed the use of analogue dairy in paneer or cheese dishes were asked to either switch to natural dairy or remove the dishes, with delisting possible for non-compliance. Restaurants were also asked to check supplier labels and ingredient declarations.
The developments point to a broader shift in enforcement, with regulators and food businesses focusing not only on the composition of dairy substitutes but also on whether aconsumers are being clearly informed about what they are purchasing.
The Telangana notification, however, excludes food products specifically standardised under regulations framed under the Food Safety and Standards Act, provided they are legally manufactured and marketed under their prescribed names and conditions.
