Ahmedabad: That soft, creamy block of ‘paneer’ sitting in your kitchen or melting in a local curry may not be pure cottage cheese at all. Following Gujarat govt’s Aug 6 blanket ban on non-dairy analogue paneer, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has launched a citywide inspection drive, sealing offending dairies and shuttering local eateries caught serving fake dairy products and using toxic dyes as well as degraded cooking oil.
Shree Kailas Dugdhalaya sealed in Naranpura for selling analogue paneer
On Monday, AMC health and food department inspectors raided Khodiyar Dairy Farm and Shree Kailas Dugdhalaya in Naranpura. Both units were caught stocking analogue paneer — a cheap, synthetic substitute made from starch and vegetable oils — leading to immediate sealing orders.The sweep also exposed broader health violations across city kitchens.
Om Shakti Restaurant closed in Naroda, Ahmedabad, after lab testing revealed gravies laced with synthetic food colours
In Naroda, inspectors shut down Om Shakti The Restaurant after lab tests revealed that the gravies were laced with synthetic food colours.Meanwhile, MMV Mumbaiya Misal Vadapav in Jagatpur was sealed after on-site testing showed its cooking oil recorded a total polar compounds (TPC) level of 31.5%, well beyond the statutory 25% safety cap.“Repeatedly reheating cooking oil causes chemical breakdown, generating toxic compounds that significantly increase the risk of hypertension, liver damage, and vascular disease,” warned an AMC health official.Synthetic dyes pose equal risks, frequently triggering skin allergies and organ distress.The latest enforcement action follows an earlier citywide drive on Aug 11, when lab reports confirmed the presence of analogue paneer at several popular joints, including HL Frankie and Delhi 6 Paratha Point in Navrangpura, as well as Jay Somnath Tea Stall in Gita Mandir. All three were promptly locked up by civic authorities.
