Bengaluru: The Karnataka Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FDA) has imposed a one-year ban across the state on the manufacture, processing, storage, transportation and sale of analogue paneer—a non-dairy product made using vegetable oils, starches, emulsifiers and other additives.The govt order, issued on Aug 17 under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, said such products do not meet the regulatory definition of paneer, which is a standardised food product made from milk. The ban also applies to food businesses, which have been prohibited from using, storing, supplying or selling analogue or non-dairy paneer in the preparation of any food product or dish.Even as food safety officials in several parts of the country have cracked down on fake paneer, Karnataka officials said tests on several paneer samples in the state found no traces of adulteration. The prohibition, they said, is therefore a preventive measure aimed at ensuring that analogue or non-dairy products are not sold or passed off as paneer.However, the order does not cover separately standardised products such as frozen desserts, processed cheese and mixed-fat spreads, which are governed under their own prescribed standards.The order noted that specific quality standards have not been prescribed for certain dairy analogue products, making enforcement difficult and raising the possibility of such products being sold or used as real paneer, misleading consumers. It also said mandatory declarations regarding the use of non-dairy ingredients must be made as prescribed under food safety regulations.Meeting of food safety officialsKarnataka will soon host a meeting of food safety officials from across the country, health minister U T Khader said. A report containing recommendations on reforms required in food safety regulations will be submitted to the Centre after the meeting.The state govt will also organise district-level meetings with representatives of restaurant and street food vendors’ associations and they will be trained on food safety and hygiene standards, he added.
