GANDHINAGAR—The Gujarat government has banned the production of analogue paneer, cheese and butter across the state, citing public health concerns and alleged misuse of non-dairy substitutes that were being marketed or sold as conventional dairy products, Health Minister Praful Pansheriya announced on Thursday.
The decision takes immediate effect and follows similar restrictions introduced recently in neighbouring Maharashtra, as authorities intensify action against food products they say can mislead consumers when not properly identified or labelled.
Pansheriya said the state government had acted after the Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) detected irregularities during inspections and concluded that stronger enforcement was needed to protect consumers. According to the minister, the priority is to ensure that food sold as paneer, cheese or butter meets established dairy standards and does not compromise public health.
Analogue dairy products are typically manufactured using vegetable fats or other non-milk ingredients to resemble traditional dairy products. Under national food safety rules, such products are subject to labelling requirements and must not be presented as genuine dairy products. Earlier this year, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) directed manufacturers and food service establishments to ensure cheese analogues are correctly identified and not sold as "paneer," while requiring clear disclosure wherever such products are used.
The Gujarat government has stepped up enforcement in recent months. State authorities previously ordered hotels, restaurants and food businesses to disclose whether they were using genuine paneer or analogue substitutes, while inspection drives led to seizures of suspected analogue products and action against manufacturing units accused of misrepresenting them as dairy paneer.
Officials said the latest prohibition is intended to prevent consumers from being misled and to ensure that products sold as dairy foods comply with applicable standards. Authorities warned that businesses found violating the order would face action under relevant food safety laws.
The move comes amid a broader regulatory focus on food authenticity in India, with several states increasing inspections and enforcement against the sale of imitation dairy products. Maharashtra recently imposed a one-year ban on the manufacture, storage, transport, distribution and sale of unstandardised analogue paneer, citing similar food safety concerns.
The Gujarat government said enforcement agencies would continue inspections across the state to monitor compliance with the ban and take action against businesses found producing or marketing prohibited analogue dairy products.
