A simple "pure paneer" board outside a Tibb's Frankie outlet has become the latest talking point amid the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) crackdown. The timing has also sparked chatter over whether restaurants are becoming more cautious under Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe's watch.
Real estate tracker Vishal Bhargava shared a disclosure outside a Tibb's Frankie outlet stating that the restaurant does not use “cheese analogue” and that all paneer dishes are prepared using “pure paneer”. In a post on X, Bhargava said it was good to see such disclosures displayed by restaurants.
The post drew mixed reactions. Paresh alleged outlets had earlier used cheese and paneer analogues, while Neel said paneer had not been labelled as analogue and called for action against adulteration and incorrect labelling. Anuj Goel said Cream Centre had displayed a notice earlier, questioning how long such disclosures would continue.
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Maharashtra Government's Gazette Notification On Paneer
The Maharashtra government, on August 5, had imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture and sale of "analogue" or non-dairy paneer in view of public health concerns and widespread violations of food safety norms. Offenders could face life imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh, as per a recent government order.
The FDA said it found that several hotels, restaurants, caterers and other food establishments were using analogue paneer in place of conventional paneer without disclosing the substitution on menus, invoices or display boards.
Analogue paneer is a non-dairy substitute made using vegetable oils, starches, emulsifiers and other additives instead of milk fat. It is cheaper to produce than conventional paneer and generally contains lower protein levels.
A gazette notification issued by Maharashtra Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has prohibited the manufacturing, processing, preparation, packing, storage, distribution, wholesale and retail sale, as well as offering for sale, of analogue paneer across the state.
The FDA has warned that serving analogue paneer as conventional dairy paneer without informing consumers would amount to an unfair trade practice under the Food Safety and Standards Act and attract penal action.
Depending on the extent of harm caused, offenders could face imprisonment — from six months with a fine of Rs 1 lakh to life imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 10 lakh in cases where consumption of unsafe food results in death, the FDA said.
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