The investigation found that non-dairy ingredients such as vegetable fats and substitutes were being used in so-called paneer sold as regular milk paneer. While India’s food safety regulations do allow “analogue paneer” — a lower-quality alternative made with vegetable fat — these products must be clearly labelled. Officials say misrepresenting analogue paneer as dairy-based violates consumer protection rules and poses nutritional and safety concerns.

Ahmedabad’s food department undertook an extensive inspection of more than 1,000 food establishments, collecting close to 110 dairy samples, including paneer, for quality checks over a three-week period. Of those tested, 10 paneer samples were declared substandard after failing laboratory standards for milk content, with vegetable fat levels exceeding norms. Fines were imposed on several eateries and businesses, while seized products were removed from circulation.

The findings draw attention to broader concerns about dairy integrity in markets where perishable products like paneer are consumed widely. Experts point out that adulterated paneer not only undermines nutritional value, especially in regions where it is an important protein source, but also may signal weaknesses in supply-chain oversight and food safety enforcement.