Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Aug 26: The Karnataka government has prohibited the production, storage, distribution and sale of ‘analogue paneer’ being marketed and sold as ‘paneer’ across the state for one year, citing public health concerns, officials said.
“The Food Safety Division of the Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration, Karnataka, has issued a Government Notification recently, prohibiting the manufacturing, processing, packing, storage, distribution, transportation, wholesale and retail sales, display for sale and supply of analogue/non-dairy paneer being sold under the name ‘Paneer’ in the state for a year,” the department commissioner Srinivas K said in a statement.
Officials explained that a product prepared in the form of paneer by wholly or partially replacing milk fat or milk solids with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients is classified as analogue/non-dairy paneer. Such products cannot be labelled, marketed, sold or represented to consumers as ‘paneer’, the officials said.
According to the department, under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, paneer is a standardised food product prepared from milk.
Milk fat is a key constituent of paneer, and replacing milk fat with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other non-dairy ingredients in place of milk components is not permitted, the department said.
“Karnataka has tested several paneer samples, and it is found that there is no adulteration. Even though there is no adulteration of paneer with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or other dairy ingredients, the prohibition is ordered in the interest of public health,” the department said.
Officials clarified that the prohibition applies only to dairy analogue products for which specific quality standards have not been prescribed or standardised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The order does not apply to standardised food products such as Frozen Dessert, Processed Cheese and Mixed Fat Spread, which are already governed by separate prescribed standards, the department clarified.
The department has also warned that no food business operator shall use, store, supply or sell analogue/non-dairy paneer in the preparation or manufacture of any food product or food item.
The Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration will take necessary measures across Karnataka to ensure effective implementation and enforcement of the order. Food business operators have been advised to strictly comply with its provisions.