Food for thought: Is your paneer real or fake
Paneer is a staple in Indian cuisine and a rich source of protein, especially for vegetarian people. Loved for its versatility in various dishes, is now bearing the brunt of adulteration.
Fake paneer, also called synthetic paneer or analogue paneer, has caught a lot of attention lately. It looks almost similar to the regular paneer, but is cheaper, has zero nutrients and can prove harmful after consumption.
A recent raid by the Health Department at Lakkar Bazar revealed milk products like paneer and butter being prepared under unhygienic conditions. The revelation has sent shock waves among the city people.
Data collected from the District Health Department reveal that samples of milk and dairy products collected from Ludhiana continue to fail food safety tests. The highest number of failed samples are those of paneer.
From September 2024 to March 2025, a total of 39 samples of paneer were collected by the department, of which 12 had failed the quality test. Still there are many shops selling synthetic paneer, which did not come under the department’s scanner.
District Health Officer Dr Amarjit Kaur said, “Paneer is most adulterated food commodity. One should never buy paneer that is cheaper. It’s an imitation version made with non-dairy ingredients and vegetable oils instead of milk. While analogue paneer is cheaper and widely available, it lacks the nutritional value yet it tastes like real paneer and some health concerns have been raised about its ingredients.”
City resident Kuldeep Singh, who recently submitted a complaint with the Health Department regarding the artificial paneer, said nearly half of the restaurants and marriage palaces were using the cheaper alternative of paneer because it costs between Rs 140 to Rs 200 per kg, whereas real paneer costs Rs 350 to Rs 400 per kg,” he said.
“People should be conscious of the type of paneer they are consuming and never go for the cheaper version. The Health Department’s mobile lab run under the ‘Food Safety on Wheels’ (FSW) initiative visits various areas of the city. The residents can get their milk and food samples tested on the spot,” said Dr Ramandeep Kaur.
A Food Safety Officer said pure or natural paneer made from milk and acidic content is used to curdle the milk. It has a distinctive firm texture and carries a fresh, milky aroma. “Always taste paneer before buying it. If paneer doesn’t offer that creamy texture and milky aroma, avoid it,” he added.
Maintaining that defaulters should be fined heavily, senior citizen Davinder Singh from Gurdev Nagar, “If the sample from a particular vendor fails, the samples should be collected from him for at least three times. The fine should be increased with recurrent failures and his licence cancelled after the sample fails the test for the third time.” According to health experts, analogue paneer causes digestive issues like bloating and indigestion and can also result in vomiting, diarrhoea and nausea.
Punjab