- Maharashtra bans manufacture, storage, and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer.
- Violators face up to six months jail and Rs 1 lakh fine under Food Safety Act.
- Analogue paneer must be labelled as non-dairy; selling as dairy is illegal.
One can now face up to six months in jail and a fine of Rs 1 lakh for manufacturing, storing or selling analogue or non-dairy paneer in Maharashtra after the state government imposed a complete ban on the product.
The ban came into effect immediately following an order issued on July 30 by Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, making Maharashtra the second state after Chhattisgarh to prohibit the product.
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration has warned that selling analogue paneer — a non-dairy substitute designed to resemble traditional paneer — as dairy paneer amounts to misleading consumers and constitutes an unfair trade practice under food safety laws. It said strict legal action will be taken against those found violating the order.
Although analogue paneer may look and taste similar to conventional paneer, authorities have expressed concern over its sale as genuine dairy paneer without proper disclosure to consumers.
Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, violators can face imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh. In cases where the consumption of unsafe food results in death, the law provides for life imprisonment along with a minimum fine of Rs 10 lakh.
ALSO READ: Mumbai's Shalimar, K Rustom, Noor Mohammadi To Reopen After FDA Action? Here's What We Know
Under Food Safety and Standards Authority of India regulations, paneer must be made from milk and should not contain added starch, non-dairy fats or synthetic ingredients. While the FSSAI permits the manufacture and sale of analogue paneer, it can only be sold if it is clearly labelled and disclosed as a non-dairy product.
The issue of analogue paneer was raised in the Maharashtra Assembly last year, when legislators demanded a complete ban over concerns that consumers were being misled into buying non-dairy products as genuine paneer. The July 30 order now formally prohibits all major activities related to analogue paneer across the state.
The decision also comes amid an intensified crackdown on adulterated dairy products in Maharashtra. Since May, the state has been conducting enforcement drives against synthetic milk and fake paneer manufacturing units, leading to several raids and seizures.
The crackdown on analogue paneer also coincides with intensified inspections of restaurants and hotels across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, resulting in multiple closures and licence suspensions over food safety violations.
ALSO READ: Action On K Rustom: Tukaram Mundhe Breaks Silence, Explains Reasons Behind Crackdown
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
