Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has directed food businesses to clearly specify whether the paneer served is milk-based or analogue, following widespread quality violations detected during recent inspections. Over the past three months, 85 paneer samples were collected, of which 25 were found substandard, prompting stricter enforcement.
The civic body has emailed over 15,000 food business operators, instructing them to disclose the type of paneer used—whether dairy-based milk paneer or analogue (non-dairy) paneer—to ensure transparency for consumers.
During the latest drive, AMC collected 22 additional paneer samples from across the city and imposed penalties of ₹70,000 under the GPMC Act, while warning that non-compliance would invite strict action under FSSAI regulations and municipal laws.
Authorities revealed that substandard samples primarily failed due to low fat content or substitution with analogue paneer, which is often made using vegetable oils, starch, and milk solids, and must be properly labelled under food safety norms.
As part of a broader enforcement drive between January 1 and March 31, AMC inspected 4,294 food units, tested 2,049 food samples, and found 74 non-compliant, while issuing notices to 1,411 units, collecting ₹22.42 lakh in fines, and destroying 3,081 kg of inedible food.
Additionally, the corporation has collected over ₹3 lakh in fines and initiated legal proceedings under the Food Safety and Standards Act against 12 units where analogue paneer was found being misrepresented as milk paneer.
The move underscores growing regulatory scrutiny on mislabeling and quality compliance in the dairy and food service sector, with authorities aiming to protect consumer trust and ensure clear differentiation between dairy and non-dairy products.
Source: Dairynews7x7 6 April, 2026 Read full story here
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