In October 2024, when a social media user claimed that Zomato had provided fake paneer made with vegetable oil, and it was mentioned on the site that the product was labelled “Analogue Paneer“, which is “fit for tikka and gravy paneer dishes”, this is when the Indian market and consumers started calling fake paneer as ‘analogue’ and the whole discussion on the side effects of such products started on social media. In a recent post on X, a user called Tanya Rajhans with the handle @tanyarajhans7 showed her concerns over the trend and wrote, “Since I have learnt about “Analogue Paneer”, the vegetarian me keeps questioning every single restaurant’s authenticity. Can’t restaurants show transparency regarding the ingredients that go in our food?” The post has garnered over 43.7 k views in less than 24 hours. So let us understand the concept of it and how one can identify it and stay safe.
What is Analogue Paneer?
As defined by the FSSAI for regulations around all dairy products, “Analogue means a product in which constituents not derived from milk take the place, in part or in whole, of any milk constituent(s) and the final product resembles, organoleptically and/or functionally, milk or milk product or composite milk product as defined in these regulations.”
In simple words, analogue paneer is something that is made from ingredients other than milk. And as per reports, market players often make it with vegetable oils, starch and milk solids, and these are not good for the human body.
How to identify Analogue or Fake Paneer?
While the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a lot of tests and measures to check adulteration in milk and milk products, there are certain ways in which you can do the quality check of store-bought paneer at home as well. Take a look at the following tips and tricks:
Taste and texture
Pure or natural paneer is made with regular milk that uses an acidic content to curdle the milk and it has a distinctive firm texture and carries a fresh, milky aroma. So, always taste it before buying. And if the paneer doesn’t offer that creamy texture and milky aroma, avoid it.
Read the package
While buying read-to-eat paneer, it’s crucial to examine the product label carefully, as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has strict regulations requiring manufacturers to clearly indicate when non-dairy substitutes are used. Look specifically for terms like “analogue” or “imitation” on the packaging, as these legally must be displayed if the product isn’t authentic paneer.
Use your hands
Simply mash some paneer using your clean and bare hands. The adulterated paneer is made with skimmed milk, hence, it cannot bear the pressure of hands and will start falling apart when pressure is applied.
Use iodine tincture
To test whether the paneer is natural or artificial, one can use iodine tincture. Add water to a pan, place the paneer in it, and bring it to a boil. Let it cool down, then add a few drops of iodine tincture and see if the color changes to blue, which means the paneer is artificial.
Use arhar dal
For this test, boil paneer in some water, and after it cools down, add some tur dal powder and let it rest for 10 minutes. If the color of the paneer changes to light red, it is a sign that the paneer is made with detergent or urea.
Use soybean powder
Boil some paneer in water, let it cool down, and then add some soybean powder to it. If the color of the paneer changes to light red, it is a sign that the paneer is made with detergent or urea.
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