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The Telangana government on Friday, September 11, prohibited the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, distribution, transportation and sale of analogue or non-dairy paneer across the state for one year. The order, issued by Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG SAFE) Commissioner Avinash Mohanty, will take effect immediately.
The prohibition applies to non-dairy, artificial or analogue paneer in any form, including products manufactured, stored, distributed or sold as “paneer” or under any other name. Analogue paneer is defined as a factory-made dairy substitute designed to pass off as traditional milk-based paneer.
The government notified the order in the official gazette through Notification No. 807 dated September 10, 2026.
The government said the measure was taken in the interest of public health. The order, issued under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, provides for action against those violating the restriction under the Act and the rules and regulations framed under it.
The move follows inspections carried out by TG SAFE, along with the city police’s Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST), at 14 dairy and retail establishments involved in the manufacture and sale of paneer and other dairy products.
During the inspections, officials found loose palm oil and glycerol monostearate being used at some facilities to make products identified as analogue paneer. Authorities seized about one tonne of palm oil, 476 kg of glycerol monostearate, 1,760 packs of Mavee’s Classic Premium Cooking Cream and 150 kg of skimmed milk powder.
Since its launch, H-FAST has registered more than 180 cases and seized over 1.5 tonnes of synthetic paneer.
The notification, however, excludes food products that are specifically standardised under regulations framed under the Food Safety and Standards Act and are legally manufactured and marketed under their prescribed names and conditions.
