Telangana cracks down on analogue paneer, imposes one-year ban

The Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) has prohibited the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, distribution and sale of non-dairy or analogue paneer in the state.

The ban, imposed under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, will remain in force for one year from Thursday, September 10, 2026.

The prohibition covers imitation paneer products that resemble traditional dairy paneer but are made using vegetable fats, edible oils, starches and other non-dairy substitutes.

Authorities said such products are often marketed in a manner that can mislead consumers into believing they are made from milk, prompting the regulatory action.

With the move, Telangana has joined several other states that have taken action against analogue paneer. Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh have also imposed bans on such products.

Analogue paneer is a non-dairy alternative generally made using ingredients such as skimmed milk powder, vegetable oils, emulsifiers and stabilisers. It is formulated to replicate the appearance and texture of traditional paneer at a substantially lower cost.

In recent months, food safety enforcement agencies in Hyderabad have reported several instances of hotels, restaurants and cloud kitchens allegedly replacing dairy paneer with cheaper analogue variants without informing consumers.

However, despite restrictions imposed by several states, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country's apex food safety regulator, officially recognises dairy analogues as legitimate food products.

FSSAI permits the manufacture and sale of analogue paneer provided manufacturers and food establishments label the products correctly and do not sell or market them under the name "paneer".

However, many eateries do not clearly specify on their menus whether dishes are prepared using analogue paneer or traditional dairy paneer.