Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Cracks Down on Paneer Quality Violations
In a significant move to ensure food safety, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued a directive requiring all food businesses to clearly specify whether the paneer they serve is traditional milk paneer or analogue paneer, a non-dairy substitute. This action follows a three-month inspection drive that uncovered widespread quality violations across the city.
Extensive Inspections Reveal Substandard Paneer Samples
Over the past three months, AMC collected 85 paneer samples from various food establishments. Shockingly, 25 of these samples were declared substandard, failing to meet the prescribed quality standards. In response, on Saturday, the civic body emailed more than 15,000 food business operators, including hotels, restaurants, and manufacturers, instructing them to disclose the type of paneer used in their products.
The health department's intensified drive found that the substandard paneer samples primarily failed to meet the required fat percentage or involved the use of analogue paneer in place of genuine milk paneer. This misrepresentation has raised serious concerns about consumer safety and transparency in the food industry.
Penalties and Legal Actions Enforced
On the same Saturday, AMC collected an additional 22 paneer samples from different parts of Ahmedabad and imposed penalties totaling Rs 70,000 under the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations (GPMC) Act. The corporation warned that failure to comply with the disclosure requirement would invite strict action under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) rules and the GPMC Act.
To date, AMC has collected more than Rs 3 lakh in fines from violators. It has also launched legal proceedings under the Food Safety and Standards Act against 12 units where analogue paneer was found being passed off as milk paneer.
Broader Food Safety Campaign Yields Results
The paneer quality issue is part of a larger food safety initiative by AMC. Between January 1 and March 31, the health department inspected 4,294 food units across Ahmedabad. During this period, they destroyed 3,081 kg of inedible food and collected Rs 22.42 lakh in fines for various violations.
Additionally, notices were issued to 1,411 units for non-compliance with food safety regulations. Out of 2,049 food samples tested during the three-month drive, 74 were found to be non-compliant, highlighting the need for continued vigilance.
This crackdown underscores AMC's commitment to protecting consumers and ensuring that food businesses adhere to strict quality standards, promoting transparency and safety in Ahmedabad's culinary landscape.
