Karnataka has banned the manufacture and sale of analogue paneer for one year, tightening food safety enforcement against non-dairy products being marketed as paneer. The order covers the manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of such products across the state and will remain in force until 17 August 2027.
The Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the order under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, citing the need to prevent consumers from being sold imitation paneer in place of the standardised milk-based product recognised under food safety regulations.
Analogue paneer is made using ingredients such as vegetable oils, including palm oil, industrial starch and other additives instead of milk. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, paneer is a standardised milk-based product and its milk fat cannot be replaced with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients.
FDA Steps Up Enforcement
The department said it had tested several paneer samples and found no adulteration involving vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients.
The ban does not cover frozen desserts, processed cheese and milk fat spreads, which are regulated separately under Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regulations.
The FDA has directed food business operators not to manufacture, prepare, store, supply or sell analogue or non-dairy paneer for use in any food product.
The department said it would conduct enforcement drives across Karnataka to monitor compliance with the order and urged food business operators to follow the prescribed food safety requirements.
Karnataka’s decision follows a similar one-year ban imposed by Maharashtra earlier this month on analogue paneer, with the state citing public health concerns and violations of food safety norms.
