Karnataka Bans Sale and Production of Analogue Paneer for One Year

The Karnataka State Government has prohibited the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, distribution, transportation, and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer marketed as paneer across the state. The ban, issued in the interest of public health, will remain in force for one year.

The Food Safety Division of the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration issued the notification on August 17, barring both wholesale and retail sale, display, and supply of these substitute products. The order applies to all food business operators involved in the production, handling, and sale of analogue paneer across Karnataka.

According to officials, any product made in the form of paneer where milk fat or milk solids are wholly or partly replaced with vegetable oil, vegetable fat, or other non-dairy ingredients is classified as analogue paneer. Under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, paneer is defined as a standardised food product prepared exclusively from milk, with milk fat serving as a key component. The department noted that replacing milk components with non-dairy substitutes violates these standards and cannot be sold or represented to consumers as paneer.

The department clarified that the order was not prompted by the detection of adulteration in local dairy supplies. Commissioner Srinivas K stated that Karnataka tested several paneer samples and found no adulteration, explaining that the prohibition is being enforced as a precautionary public health measure.

The restriction applies specifically to analogue dairy products for which the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has not established standardized quality norms. Standardised food products such as frozen desserts, processed cheese, and mixed-fat spreads, which are governed by separate regulations, are not affected by the ban.

Food business operators have also been warned against using, storing, supplying, or selling analogue paneer as an ingredient in the preparation or manufacture of any food items. State enforcement teams are scheduled to carry out compliance inspections across Karnataka to ensure strict adherence to the notification.