The Karnataka government has enacted a one-year ban on the manufacture, processing, storage, distribution, transportation, and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer marketed as “paneer” throughout the state. This decision aims to regulate the dairy market and ensure consumer protection against misleading product labeling.
The notification prohibits production, processing, packing, storage, distribution, transportation, wholesale and retail sale, display for sale and government supply of such products for one year. Milk fat is an essential component of paneer, and the use of vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients in place of or along with milk fat is not permitted under the prescribed standard. The ban is not based solely on findings of adulteration. Analogue or non-dairy paneer refers to products made to resemble paneer by replacing all or part of the milk fat or milk solids with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients.
The order was issued by the Food Safety Division of the Department of Food Safety and Drugs Administration on August 17 and made public on Saturday. The action has been taken under sections 30(2)(a), 18 and 29 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Paneer is a standardised food product made from milk under Regulation 2.1.16 of the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011, according to the department.
The department said several paneer samples collected in Karnataka had been subjected to testing. Officials said that even where samples did not contain vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other prohibited substances as adulterants, the products covered by the notification cannot be manufactured, stored, supplied, transported or sold as paneer. Such products cannot be labelled, marketed or presented to consumers as paneer, the department said.
