Eateries to soon disclose ‘analogue’ paneer in menus

Eateries will have to specify in their menus whether their dishes contain traditional dairy-based paneer or so-called analogue or non-dairy paneer

New Delhi

Eateries will have to specify in their menus whether their dishes contain traditional dairy-based paneer or so-called analogue or non-dairy paneer. (HT PHOTO)

Restaurants will be required to mention the type of paneer, or cottage cheese, served in their preparations under new guidelines to be issued soon by the consumer affairs ministry, a government official said, weighing in on an issue that has taken social media platforms by storm in recent months.

Eateries will have to specify in their menus whether their dishes contain traditional dairy-based paneer or so-called analogue or non-dairy paneer, a cheaper variety that is increasingly being used in commercial kitchens.

“Analogue paneer is different from dairy paneer and consumers have a right to know what is being served,” said Nidhi Khare, Union consumer affairs secretary.

Traditional paneer is acid-set fresh cheese, consumed widely by vegetarians and a good source of protein. According to Consumer Voice, paneer refers to cheese obtained from milk by precipitation with sour milk, lactic acid, or citric acid. To prepare it, food acid (usually lemon juice, vinegar, citric acid or yogurt) is added to hot milk to separate the curd from the whey. The separated curd is pressed in muslin or cheesecloth and the excess water is drained out. The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2-3 hours to give it a good texture and appearance.

Analogue paneer looks and tastes like the traditional variety but it is made from non-dairy sources, such as vegetable oils, starches, and emulsifiers, rather than milk.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority requires manufacturers to label analogue paneer as “non-dairy”, but restaurants currently are not required to make such disclosures.

“I consider analogue paneer to be fake paneer. It’s good that the government will require restaurants to disclose what they are serving. The nutritional values of non-dairy paneer will be very different from real paneer and may even be unhealthy if it is high in saturated fats,” said Deepika Kansal, a certified nutrition expert who consults with FSSAI.