The Department of Food and Drugs Administration, Government of Haryana on August 21, 2026, issued a notification regarding prohibition on the manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of analogue/non-dairy paneer as “Paneer” in Haryana for one year under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, along with compliance with prescribed food standards and labelling requirements.
The following has been stated: -
•The Food and Drugs Administration Department of Haryana issued an official notification on August 17, 2026, invoking Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to address public health concerns surrounding dairy adulteration.
•Under this notification, the government has imposed a state-wide, one-year ban on the manufacture, storage, distribution, and sale of analog or non-dairy paneer whenever it is represented, offered, or sold under the name "Paneer".
•This regulatory action follows extensive testing conducted between April 2025 and March 2026, where roughly 70% of collected paneer and dairy analog samples failed compliance standards due to the illegal substitution of natural milk fat with non-dairy vegetable fats.
•Furthermore, authorities noted widespread consumer deception by hotels, restaurants, and caterers who served non-dairy analog paneer in dishes without mandated disclosures on menus or display boards.
•To protect consumer interests and ensure nutritional clarity, the order re-emphasizes that authentic paneer must contain genuine milk fat, whereas non-dairy alternatives are subject to strict Labeling mandates such as declaring "contains vegetable fat" and cannot be sold loose or passed off as standard paneer.
The detailed notification is given in the document below.
[Notification No.: . 3/14-3Food-II-2026/6026]
