What is analogue paneer and why is FSSAI cracking down on it?

: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed restrictions on the production and sale of paneer made from non-dairy ingredients. A draft amendment published on September 24 proposes to add “paneer made from non-milk ingredients” to the list of substances whose sale is banned. Products already licensed or registered as ‘analogue in the context of milk’ would have to drop the word ‘paneer’ from their nomenclature, labeling and marketing.

What is analog paneer?

Paneer as defined in FSSAI norms is a dairy product made from milk, with or without added milk solids, which is precipitated using permitted acidulants and heat. The standard specifies milk and milk solids as raw materials. Depending on the category, paneer has to meet the prescribed moisture and milk fat limits.

Analog paneer is different. It is a product designed to resemble paneer in appearance, texture and functionality, but in which some or all of the dairy ingredients are replaced by non-dairy ingredients.

FSSAI defines “milk analogue” as a product in which non-dairy ingredients replace, in whole or in part, one or more milk ingredients, while the final product resembles milk or a milk product. Specifically, the regulator said that replacing the main components of milk, such as milk fat or milk protein, with vegetable oil, vegetable fat or vegetable protein can lead to an analogue.

In practice, formulations may contain combinations of vegetable fats or oils, starches, vegetable proteins, milk solids, emulsifiers and stabilizers. The exact composition varies from product to product.

An analog is not necessarily an illegally counterfeit product simply because it is an analog. FSSAI has recognized “Analog in the context of milk” as a category. Regulatory concerns arise when such a product is presented to consumers as conventional paneer or another dairy product.

Why is FSSAI acting now?

The immediate reason is consumer information. For several years now, FSSAI has had provisions governing milk analogues. Its guidelines say that non-dairy products must not be misrepresented as milk or milk products. It also requires products for which there is no specific identification standard to carry the word “analog” along with relevant food category information.

However, the regulator is increasingly finding the problem at the level of food service – a consumer who orders a dish labeled as paneer may not know that the restaurant uses a non-dairy analogue.

In April this year, FSSAI West Region issued a public notice specifically stating that selling analogue cheese as ‘paneer’ is a violation and directed manufacturers and food businesses to ensure accurate naming of products.

The issue has also moved beyond the boundaries of individual inspections. Several states have imposed restrictions or bans on analogue paneer, with Maharashtra, Punjab and other states taking action against its production, sale or representation as paneer. Maharashtra, for example, announced that it tested 308 samples of paneer and milk analogues between April 2025 and March 2026; 109 did not meet the prescribed standards, including 30 that were declared unsafe.

What exactly did FSSAI propose?

The latest proposal is significant because it goes beyond simply requiring manufacturers and restaurants to disclose that a product is analog.

FSSAI proposes to insert a new clause in the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction of Sale) Regulations, 2011, which covers “paneer made from non-milk ingredients”. The proposal says the move is aimed at curbing the manufacture and sale of Paneer’s analogue product and to prevent consumers from being misled about its nature and composition.

Specifically, it also states that products that have already been licensed or registered under the category of ‘Analogues in the context of milk’ would have to stop using the term ‘Paneer’ in their nomenclature, labeling or marketing.

The draft is still a draft. FSSAI has invited objections and suggestions and said they will be considered after a stipulated period of 60 days. It should therefore not be referred to as an already effective nationwide ban.

Is analog paneer dangerous?

Labeling a product “analogue” does not automatically mean that it is dangerous. The central regulatory issue is that it is not a conventional paneer made from milk and therefore should not be presented as such.

Its nutritional composition can also differ substantially from milk paneer, depending on the composition. The replacement of milk fat and milk protein with vegetable fat and vegetable protein means that consumers cannot automatically assume that the analogue has the same nutritional profile as milk-based paneer.

This is especially important in India, where paneer is often eaten as a source of protein. During the FSSAI’s deliberations on milk analogues, some states and stakeholders argued that analogue paneer could deprive consumers – especially vegetarians who use paneer as a source of protein – of the nutritional benefits expected from milk paneer. This was a submission during the negotiations, rather than a finding by FSSAI that all analogues are nutritionally harmful.

Can consumers identify analogue paneer?

Analog products are specially designed to resemble their dairy counterparts. Differences in taste, texture or cooking behavior may sometimes be noticeable, but are not a substitute for proper labeling or laboratory testing.

This is particularly difficult when eating out, as consumers usually do not see the original packaging or declaration of ingredients used in the restaurant.

This is why FSSAI’s approach is increasingly focused on the supply chain – from manufacturers and distributors to restaurants and other food service establishments. Its control action in 2025 directed states and union territories to carry out testing and label inspection of milk analogues to prevent adulteration and mislabelling.

So is ‘fake paneer’ banned?

The phrase “fake paneer” is not technically correct. There is a difference between a non-dairy analogue that is properly labeled as such and a non-dairy product sold or represented as conventional paneer, experts note.

So FSSAI’s latest proposal seeks to address the latter – and importantly, it proposes to prevent products in the analogue category from using the word ‘paneer’ in their nomenclature, labeling or marketing.

Published – 25 Sep 2026 10:21 IST