- Maharashtra bans production, sale, and distribution of fake analogue paneer for one year
- FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe issued the order on July 30, 2026, citing health concerns
- Hotels and eateries must not use or serve analogue paneer without declaring it on menus
Maharashtra has officially banned the production, distribution, and sale of fake 'analogue' paneer for one entire year. State FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe issued this gazette order on July 30, 2026, citing grave public health concerns. The crackdown follows alarming lab reports showing over 35% of recent state paneer samples failed quality tests due to vegetable fat adulteration.
All hotels, restaurants, caterers, and cloud kitchens are strictly prohibited from using, preparing, serving, or storing these artificial dairy substitutes
Investigations revealed widespread consumer deception, with eateries secretly swapping real milk paneer for cheap analogues without any menu declarations.
Genuine paneer production must now strictly adhere to FSSAI packaging and labelling mandates, categorising products clearly by their exact milk fat content.
Reacting to the order, Abhay Pandey, President, All India Food & Drug License Holder Foundation, said, "There were many discussions and questions raised regarding cheese analogue in Maharashtra, and today, the order to ban cheese analogue in Maharashtra has finally been issued."
He added, "Since our Food Safety Commissioner, Honourable Tukaram Munde, took charge, this matter has come to the forefront, and taking very strong action, he has introduced this GR."
Any food business operator violating this ban faces severe consequences, including immediate stock seizure, destruction, and heavy penalties under the Food Safety Act.
