Himachal becomes 4th state to ban sale, supply of non-dairy, analogue paneer

The Himachal Pradesh government has prohibited the manufacture, sale, purchase, storage and supply of analogue or non-dairy paneer that does not comply with food safety standards, amid reports of its widespread sale in markets.

The order issued by the Commissioner, Food Safety, on Thursday said paneer is a standardised dairy product and any product represented and sold as paneer must comply with standards prescribed under the Food Safety and Standards Act and regulations.

“As Paneer is being widely consumed as a vegetarian source of protein, it is imperative that provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act are enforced for protection of consumers,” the notification said.

It said no person or food business operator shall manufacture, process, prepare, pack, store, stock, transport, distribute, supply, expose for sale or otherwise deal in analogue or non-dairy paneer in the state.

The notification also clarified that any product in which milk fat, milk solids or other milk constituents have been mixed with or wholly or partly substituted by vegetable oil or vegetable fat cannot be represented, described, advertised, displayed, supplied or sold as paneer.

Non-dairy or analogue paneer is generally made using vegetable oils or plant fats and emulsifiers instead of milk, and is designed to imitate traditional dairy paneer.

The Himachal Pradesh action comes amid similar measures by other states against analogue paneer.

Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat have also prohibited the manufacture and sale of such products, citing consumer safety and concerns over their being passed off as genuine dairy products.

In Maharashtra, the Food and Drug Administration has prohibited the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, transportation, wholesale and retail sale, distribution and offering for sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer across the state.

The Maharashtra FDA has warned that selling analogue paneer as genuine dairy paneer amounts to misleading consumers and constitutes an unfair trade practice under food safety law. It has said strict legal action would be taken against individuals or establishments found engaging in such practices.

The Gujarat government has also prohibited the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, transportation, distribution, sale, offering for sale or use in food service establishments of non-standardised dairy analogues that imitate paneer, cream, butter or other dairy products or create the impression that they are genuine dairy products.

Hotels, restaurants, caterers, eateries, cloud kitchens and other food service establishments in Gujarat have been directed to use only genuine and standardised dairy products and not mislead consumers.