Paneer — the most relished dish in 90% Indian households and the most sold dish in most Indian restaurants, from gourmet fine dining places to roadside dhaba — is today the no.1 adulterated and hazardous food item in our country.

The rise of analogue paneer—a synthetic substitute made from the much harmful palm oil and protein substitutes—poses serious threats to public health, consumer rights, and the integrity of the dairy industry.

As per a latest news report,Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) fetched 122 samples of paneer, out of which a staggering 83%samples failed to meet quality standards, while 40% were found to be unsafe for even animal consumption, as they contained harmful chemicals, maida, excessive formalin and unidentified liquid substances.

The FSSAI must take decisive action to ban analogue paneer in order to protect the nation's food integrity.

Here’s why:

1. Major Health Concerns

Analogue Paneer - being cheaper than pure paneer - is selling like hot cakes in the market, online grocery platforms, milk dairies and ration shops. The rates being accessible to the common man, this unhealthy paneer, by and large made of excessively harmful artificial fat, is being consumed widely across the country. This is posing serious threat as it can cause health issues like - kidney stones, cancer, liver damage, heart failure etc.

2. Safety of schools, restaurants, food portals

Paneer is an essential component of fresh vegetarian meals that are served in schools, restaurants and even online food portals.

Nutritionists have been doing the viral paneer purity checks by simply adding a few drops of iodine tincture to paneer and observing the changes. If it turns black, it is fake. Analogue paneer is also rubbery in texture.

While big institutions like schools and restaurants, can barely test the paneer that they fetch in large quantities, the alarming point here is that they are then using the analogue paneer unapologetically and harming the masses. Same is true for food portals, that are selling a wide variety of paneer based items on a daily basis. News of school children suddenly being hospitalised, food delivery restaurants being sued for improper food preparation, has become common and is self-explanatory.

3. Violation of FSSAI regulations

Analogue paneer is made with hydrogenated vegetable oils, starches, and artificial flavorings, which are not approved as primary ingredients in dairy products under FSSAI regulations.

According to FSSAI’s Food Products Standards and Food Additives Regulations, 2011, paneer must be made exclusively from milk. Specifically, Clause 2.1.11 (Milk and Milk Products) defines paneer as:

“...a product obtained from cow or buffalo milk or a combination thereof, by precipitation with sour milk, lactic acid, or citric acid.”

Any use of non-dairy fat or protein is therefore in violation of this regulation and makes the product misbranded and unsafe under Indian law.

4. Consumer Deception and Labeling Violations

Many analogue paneer products are sold without appropriate labeling, misleading consumers into believing they are purchasing genuine dairy paneer.

The Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations, 2020, mandate that:

“Any food product that resembles a standardised product but is made from different ingredients shall clearly state the word ‘Imitation’ or ‘Analogue’ on the label in bold capital letters on the principal display panel.”

Most analogue paneer producers do not comply with this, and local vendors often sell the product loose or unlabeled, making enforcement difficult and deception rampant.

5. Economic Harm to the Dairy Sector

Allowing analogue paneer to compete in the market undermines India’s dairy economy, which supports millions of farmers and small-scale producers. These synthetic products are significantly cheaper to produce, giving unfair advantage to unethical vendors.

This undermines the efforts of genuine milk producers and distorts the market, making it harder for consumers to distinguish between authentic paneer and its imitation, especially when sold in bulk or used in processed foods and sweets.

6. Threat to Culinary Heritage and Religious Practices

Paneer - once considered a source of good nutrition as it is derived from pure milk — holds a sacred place in Indian cuisine, especially in religious and vegetarian diets, where milk-based products are considered pure and sattvic. Using synthetic or imitation paneer in offerings, religious functions, or temple kitchens amounts to cultural dilution and can violate religious norms.

Banning analogue paneer would therefore also help protect the spiritual and cultural integrity of India’s diverse culinary traditions.

7. Enforcement Loopholes and Regulatory Gaps

While FSSAI has issued advisories and alerts regarding imitation dairy products in the past, there is no blanket ban on analogue paneer. This loophole allows unscrupulous manufacturers to continue operations in the grey market.

By invoking Section 3(1)(zz) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, which defines “unsafe food” as anything that:

“...contains any ingredient which may render the food injurious to health,”

FSSAI has the authority to classify analogue paneer as unsafe, particularly due to the potential health risks posed by hydrogenated fats and poor manufacturing standards.

Conclusion

Analogue paneer is a public health hazard, a fraud on consumers, and a threat to India’s dairy ecosystem. Under current FSSAI regulations, there is a clear legal basis for its prohibition or strict regulation. A nationwide ban, along with rigorous enforcement of labeling laws and quality checks, is essential to preserve public health, consumer rights, and cultural authenticity.

The time has come for FSSAI to take a bold, decisive step to ban analogue paneer—not just to protect our plates, but to uphold the integrity of India’s food legacy.