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Karnataka has imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer marketed as “paneer” across the state. The order, issued by the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, is aimed at protecting public health and preventing non-dairy products from being represented as traditional dairy paneer. The prohibition will remain in force until August 17, 2027.
Analogue paneer is an imitation product made using ingredients such as vegetable oils, including palm oil, industrial starch and other additives, instead of natural dairy ingredients. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, paneer is recognised as a standardised milk-based product, and milk fat cannot be replaced with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients when the product is sold as paneer.
Interestingly, the Karnataka FDA stated that it had tested several paneer samples and did not detect adulteration with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients. Nevertheless, the ban has been imposed in the interest of public health and to ensure that analogue products are not stored, transported, supplied or sold as paneer.
The restriction does not extend to separately regulated products such as frozen desserts, processed cheese and milk-fat spreads, which are governed under separate FSSAI regulations. The FDA has also directed food business operators not to use, store, supply or sell analogue or non-dairy paneer while preparing or manufacturing food products and has announced enforcement drives across Karnataka to ensure compliance.
The move follows a similar one-year ban imposed by Maharashtra earlier in August 2026, indicating growing regulatory scrutiny of dairy analogues and the way they are represented to consumers. (Moneycontrol)
Source: Dairynews7x7 22 Aug, 2026 Read full story here
#DairyIndustry #AnaloguePaneer #FoodSafety #PaneerQuality #DairyAdulteration #FoodRegulation #DairyNews7x7
