Gujarat bans analogue paneer, cheese and butter citing health concerns

NDTV Profit reported that Gujarat's Health and Family Welfare Department banned the production, storage, transport and sale of unstandardised analogue paneer, cheese and butter under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, after the state's Food and Drugs Control Administration said inspections and laboratory testing found substandard non-dairy substitutes being sold as genuine dairy products. Health minister Praful Pansheriya said the products, made using vegetable oils, starches and emulsifiers rather than milk fat, were found unfit for consumption and not nutritious, and that violators would face legal action under the Act. The department said raids had been under way for four months and that the ban was intended to protect consumers and the state's dairy sector. Neighbouring Maharashtra announced a similar ban on analogue paneer the same day.