The Uttarakhand government has imposed an immediate statewide ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation and sale of substandard and imitation dairy products, including paneer, ghee and butter made using vegetable oils, starch and chemicals instead of genuine milk. The order has been issued under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 by Health Secretary and Food Safety & Drug Administration Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey.
The prohibition specifically targets products that are marketed as genuine paneer, ghee, butter or other milk-based products despite being manufactured from non-dairy ingredients and potentially misleading consumers. The move is aimed at protecting public health, preventing consumer deception and strengthening the authenticity of dairy products sold across the state.
The government has also initiated a statewide inspection drive covering dairy units and markets to identify products that fail to meet food-safety and quality requirements. Businesses found violating the order could face prosecution and cancellation of their food licences, increasing the compliance risk for manufacturers, distributors, retailers and food-service operators.
The Uttarakhand action comes amid a wider regulatory crackdown on dairy analogues and misleading dairy products, following similar measures in states including Maharashtra, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh. The growing enforcement focus is placing greater emphasis on product identification, transparent labelling, laboratory testing and traceability across the dairy supply chain. (Dairy News)
For the dairy industry, the development sends a clear message: products made from vegetable oils, starches or chemicals cannot be presented to consumers as genuine milk-based dairy products. Stronger surveillance and enforcement are increasingly becoming central to protecting consumer trust and maintaining the integrity of India’s dairy market.
Source: Dairynews7x7 10 Aug, 2026 Read full story here
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