The Gujarat government has imposed a complete ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of unauthorised analogue paneer, cheese and butter across the state, citing public health concerns.
The ban, which came into effect on Thursday, was announced by Health Minister Praful Pansheriya, who said the decision was taken to safeguard public health and ensure that consumers are not misled by products made using non-dairy ingredients.
He said the state government would not tolerate any compromise with people’s health and that the production and distribution of analogue dairy products is prohibited across Gujarat.
The move follows sampling and laboratory testing conducted by the state’s Food and Drug Regulatory Authority, which found that products resembling paneer were being manufactured using vegetable oils and other non-dairy ingredients instead of milk. According to the government, such products mislead consumers, adversely affect genuine dairy producers, and raise concerns about food safety.
Pansheriya on Wednesday appealed to food business operators across the state to produce, sell, and use only genuine high-quality food products while strictly adhering to food safety regulations.
“An appeal is made to all producers, traders, hotels, restaurants, caterers, and food business operators of the state that they should produce, sell, and use only high-quality and genuine food items and fully comply with all food safety regulations,” read Pansheriya’s post on X.
The appeal comes a day after the Gujarat government announced a statewide ban on the manufacture, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of unauthorised analogue paneer, cheese and butter, citing public health concerns.
The government said strict legal action would be taken under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, against any individual or food business operator found violating the ban.
-ANI
