Maharashtra’s New Food Safety Directive
The Maharashtra government has taken a decisive step to ensure food safety by prohibiting the production and sale of non-dairy paneer within the state for a period of one year. This directive, issued on July 30, 2023, by Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, was effective immediately upon its publication.
Details of the Prohibition
According to the notification, any form of analogue or non-dairy paneer—characterized by the substitution of milk fat or solids with vegetable oils or other non-milk ingredients—is now banned. This prohibition extends to manufacturing, processing, packaging, storage, distribution, wholesaling, retailing, and any other forms of sale or offering.
Rationale Behind the Ban
The decision was influenced by laboratory findings from April 2025 to March 2026, revealing that 35.4% of paneer and dairy analogue samples did not meet required standards. The analysis identified products falsely labeled as paneer, which contained non-milk fats or vegetable oils, as unsafe and misleading.
Commissioner Mundhe highlighted that analogue paneer not only lacks nutritional benefits but is also prone to adulteration, posing significant health risks to consumers. The absence of stringent standards makes regulation challenging, allowing counterfeit products to infiltrate the market.
Implications for the Food Industry
The ban explicitly restricts food service providers, including hotels, restaurants, caterers, and cloud kitchens, from using, storing, or serving non-dairy paneer. Misrepresenting such products as genuine paneer is now classified as an “unfair trade practice” under Section 24 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
Regulatory Standards for Paneer
The notification reiterates existing standards for paneer and chhena, which must adhere to specific moisture and milk-fat content requirements. Varieties such as medium-fat and low-fat paneer/chhena must be sold in sealed packaging with appropriate labeling, while regular paneer can be sold loose, provided it complies with all safety and labeling mandates.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Violations of this order can result in severe penalties, including the seizure and destruction of non-compliant products. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, basic infractions like quality and labeling failures can incur fines up to ₹5 lakh. More severe violations involving unsafe food can lead to imprisonment for up to six years and additional fines.
If the consumption of unsafe food results in death, the law mandates a minimum imprisonment of seven years, extending to life imprisonment, along with a fine of at least ₹10 lakh.
