Indian states ban analogue dairy products to combat adulteration

Several Indian states, including Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh, have implemented bans on ‘analogue’ or non-dairy imitation products marketed as paneer, ghee, and butter. These products, which use vegetable oils, starch, and chemicals instead of milk, are being targeted to protect public health and prevent consumer deception.

In Maharashtra, FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe announced a one-year ban on the manufacture, storage, transport, and sale of analogue paneer. Laboratory testing revealed that many samples were substandard or unsafe, with some containing high levels of vegetable fat in place of essential milk proteins. The crackdown aims to address the misleading labeling of these non-dairy substitutes as genuine dairy products in hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets.