By Dr Brij Mohan Sharma
The Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS), Dehradun, has urged consumers, food businesses and regulatory authorities to promote greater awareness regarding Analog Paneer and to ensure that such products are correctly identified, labelled and scientifically tested.
According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), dairy analogues are products that resemble traditional dairy foods but may use non-milk ingredients, including plant-based proteins and fats, to partially or completely replace dairy components. Paneer analogues are specifically included within the broader category of dairy analogues.
What is Analog Paneer?
Analog paneer is a paneer-like food product in which selected milk components may be replaced by vegetable fats, plant proteins and other permitted food ingredients. It can be designed to resemble conventional paneer in appearance, texture, flavour and functional properties.
The use of an analogue product is not, by itself, evidence that the product is unsafe. The important issues are composition, quality of ingredients, food safety, permitted additives, nutritional characteristics and truthful labelling.
Potential Advantages
Analog paneer may offer certain technological and commercial advantages:
– It can be produced at comparatively lower cost.
– Its texture and functional properties can be standardised for food-service applications.
– It may have useful storage and processing characteristics.
– It can provide an alternative formulation for certain food products.
– Plant-based ingredients may be used to replace selected dairy components.
Possible Concerns
SPECS emphasises that consumers should not judge an analogue product merely by its appearance. Particular attention should be given to:
- Type and quality of fat used, particularly the nature of vegetable fat.
- Protein source, including whether milk protein or plant protein is used.
- Nutritional composition, including protein, fat, calcium and other nutrients.
- Food additives, such as stabilisers and emulsifiers, where applicable.
- Allergen declaration, particularly where ingredients such as soy are used.
- Correct nomenclature and labelling, so that consumers are not misled into believing that an analogue product is conventional dairy paneer.
FSSAI maintains specific regulatory guidance concerning analogues in the dairy context and the use of dairy terms in nomenclature and labelling.
Household Screening: Useful but Not Conclusive
SPECS recommends that consumers first examine the ingredient list and nutritional information on packaged products.
A few simple observations may provide preliminary information:
– Examine the ingredient list for milk solids, milk fat, vegetable fat, plant proteins, starch and food additives.
– Observe the texture and behaviour of the product during heating.
– A simple iodine test for starch may be used as a preliminary screening exercise. A blue or blue-black colour can indicate the presence of starch.
However, SPECS strongly cautions that household tests cannot establish conclusively that a product is Analog Paneer or that it is adulterated. Such tests should only be regarded as awareness and preliminary screening tools.
Scientific Laboratory Testing
For definitive assessment, samples should be examined by an appropriate food-testing laboratory. Depending on the purpose of testing, important parameters may include:
– Moisture
– Total solids
– Fat
– Protein
– Ash
– Starch/carbohydrates
– Milk fat and vegetable fat
– Fatty-acid profile
– Milk and non-milk protein characteristics
– Relevant additives
– Microbiological quality
– Other safety parameters wherever required.
FSSAI states that food testing and analysis are an essential part of the food-safety ecosystem and recognises/notifies NABL-accredited food laboratories for analysis of food samples. It currently provides for primary, referral and national reference laboratories.
Role of FSSAI and Food Safety Authorities
SPECS believes that the role of FSSAI and State Food Safety Authorities is particularly important in establishing consumer confidence.
FSSAI is India’s apex food regulatory authority and is responsible for setting food-safety standards, regulating food businesses, conducting inspections and testing, and promoting food-safety awareness.
At the field level, Food Safety Officers (FSOs) have an important role in inspection, surveillance, sampling and enforcement under the food-safety regulatory framework. FSSAI’s Food Safety Officer Manual specifically covers procedures relating to inspections, sampling, surveillance and food testing.
Where regulatory samples are required, proper official sampling, preservation, transportation and laboratory analysis are essential. FSSAI’s laboratory framework provides for primary laboratories as well as referral laboratories for appeal samples.
FSSAI also specifies scientific methods of analysis for food products, including a revised Manual of Methods of Analysis of Dairy and Dairy Products, updated in May 2026.
SPECS Recommendations
SPECS recommends that:
- Consumers should read the label before purchasing paneer-like products.
- Restaurants and caterers should clearly identify the nature of the product being served.
- Manufacturers should ensure truthful and transparent labelling.
- Regulatory authorities should undertake risk-based surveillance and sampling of paneer and paneer-like products.
- Samples suspected of non-compliance should be tested in FSSAI-notified/NABL-accredited laboratories.
- Consumer organisations and scientific institutions should conduct awareness programmes on dairy products and food testing.
- Results of regulatory surveillance should be communicated transparently to consumers wherever appropriate.
SPECS Message
“The objective should not be to create unnecessary fear about Analog Paneer, but to ensure scientific transparency, food safety and the consumer’s right to know exactly what is being purchased and consumed.”
SPECS further emphasises that a household screening test should never be treated as final proof of adulteration or misbranding. Any allegation of food adulteration or regulatory non-compliance should be based on scientifically valid sampling and testing by an appropriate recognised laboratory.
(Dr Brij Mohan Sharma is President, Society of Pollution and Environmental Conservation Scientists (SPECS), Dehradun.)
