Hyderabad: A major Fake paneer racket came to light in Hyderabad after food safety authorities seized nearly 825 kg of suspected adulterated and misbranded paneer products during a large-scale enforcement drive across the city.
Officials inspected 45 retail outlets and eight manufacturing units. During the operation, they found several establishments allegedly selling cheese analogue products as paneer, malai paneer and milk paneer. Authorities said the practice misled consumers and violated food safety regulations.
Investigators also found several outlets selling unlabelled products. Many packages lacked batch numbers, manufacturing details and expiry dates.
Fake paneer racket exposed during inspections
Officials alleged that some operators sold cheese analogue products made from vegetable fats and non-milk ingredients as genuine paneer. In addition, authorities found suspected adulteration practices at multiple locations.
Investigators detected the use of starch, excess water, non-milk fats and poor-quality milk in some products. They also observed unhygienic storage conditions at certain premises.
Furthermore, officials alleged that some manufacturers operated without valid FSSAI licences. They also accused a few operators of repacking analogue products under misleading labels.
Fake paneer racket triggers legal action
Authorities collected multiple samples for laboratory testing to determine the quality and composition of the seized products. The results will help establish the extent of adulteration and misbranding. Officials warned that they would initiate strict legal action against violators after completing the investigation process.
Meanwhile, authorities advised consumers to purchase paneer only from licensed vendors. They also urged people to avoid buying loose or unlabelled products. The Hyderabad Task Force conducted the crackdown as part of efforts to protect public health and strengthen consumer safety standards across the city.