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Food
Maharashtra Bans Analogue Paneer for One Year, Imposes Heavy Penalties
✍️ The Hindu
🗓 05 Aug 2026, 02:38 PM
👁 6
The Maharashtra government has declared a one-year ban on analogue paneer, citing violations of food safety norms. Violators may face life imprisonment and fines up to ₹10 lakh.
The Maharashtra government has issued a ban on analogue paneer, a dairy product made from milk powder and other additives, for a period of one year. The order cites repeated violations of food safety norms by manufacturers and distributors of the product. Under the new directive, any entity found producing or selling analogue paneer can be subjected to life imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹10 lakh.
The ban comes after a series of investigations that revealed substandard ingredients and improper processing methods in several batches sold across the state. Officials say the move is aimed at protecting consumers from potential health risks associated with the use of low‑quality raw materials.
The Maharashtra Food Safety Department will monitor compliance, and any violation will trigger immediate legal action. The government has urged all dairy producers to switch to genuine paneer or to meet the stringent safety standards before resuming production.
The ban comes after a series of investigations that revealed substandard ingredients and improper processing methods in several batches sold across the state. Officials say the move is aimed at protecting consumers from potential health risks associated with the use of low‑quality raw materials.
The Maharashtra Food Safety Department will monitor compliance, and any violation will trigger immediate legal action. The government has urged all dairy producers to switch to genuine paneer or to meet the stringent safety standards before resuming production.