Gujarat's Food and Drugs Control Administration (FDCA) on Thursday, 6 August inspected 134 food business establishments across the state, collected 29 samples, and destroyed 1,053 kg of suspected analogue dairy products worth more than ₹2.82 lakh — the most sweeping single-day enforcement action since the state imposed a statewide ban on such products.

What the Ban Covers

The Gujarat government has prohibited the production, storage, transportation, distribution, and sale of unstandardised analogue versions of paneer, cheese, and butter under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The trigger was laboratory testing that found products visually resembling dairy items being manufactured with vegetable oils and other non-dairy ingredients in place of milk fat — raising concerns over consumer deception and public health risk.

Standardised products such as frozen desserts, processed cheese, and mixed-fat spreads are explicitly exempt from the prohibition.

Key Developments Across Cities

In Ahmedabad, the Municipal Corporation's Health Food Department reported that it collected 218 paneer samples over the past six months, of which 57 were declared substandard. Of those, 23 samples were confirmed as analogue paneer, while 34 samples had milk fat levels outside prescribed standards. Cases have been filed before the Adjudicating Officer under Sections 51 and 52 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, with penalties of up to ₹5 lakh applicable per violation. On Thursday alone, the department collected 22 additional paneer samples, dispatched to the Public Health Laboratory for analysis.

In Rajkot, the Municipal Corporation's Health Branch inspected Fortune Milk and Food Products at Lati Plot, collecting three samples — analogue cheese, low-fat protein paneer, and Purica brand paneer. The establishment was also served a notice directing it to maintain hygienic conditions and proper storage practices.

What the Government Said

Health Minister Praful Pansheriya said: 'The decision followed months of enforcement action by the FDCA against analogue dairy products across Gujarat.' The government has warned that manufacturers, traders, hotels, restaurants, caterers, and other food business operators who violate the ban will face legal action under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Authorities have cautioned that non-compliant establishments risk sealing of premises, cancellation of licences, and prosecution under both the Food Safety and Standards Act and the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act.

Broader Context

This is not Gujarat's first move against analogue dairy. Earlier measures included mandatory disclosure requirements for eateries serving analogue products. Notably, the Gujarat crackdown comes a day after neighbouring Maharashtra announced a similar prohibition on analogue paneer — signalling a coordinated regional shift in food safety enforcement. Critics argue that the prevalence of substandard dairy substitutes reflects a systemic gap in supply-chain oversight, particularly in the unorganised food sector.

What Happens Next

With 22 fresh samples from Ahmedabad already in the laboratory pipeline and inspections ongoing statewide, further seizures and prosecutions are expected in the coming days. The FDCA's enforcement drive is likely to intensify scrutiny on mid-scale food processors and street-food vendors who are among the largest consumers of analogue dairy inputs.