Analogue Paneer Banned: How It Differed From Regular Paneer?

Karnataka has imposed a one year ban on analogue or non dairy paneer being sold as regular paneer. The state food safety authorities said the move is aimed at protecting consumers and ensuring that only standard milk based paneer is sold as paneer.

The decision has also brought attention to the difference between real paneer and analogue paneer. Both may look almost the same, but they are made differently.

What Is Analogue Paneer?

Analogue paneer is made to look and taste like paneer, but it can contain ingredients other than milk. Depending on the product, it may contain vegetable fat, milk solids, milk proteins, starch and other ingredients. One reason for making analogue paneer is to reduce production costs. It can also help manufacturers maintain a particular texture and consistency.

Why Do They Look Similar?

Analogue paneer can have the same white colour, shape and firmness as regular paneer. When used in dishes like butter paneer or chilli paneer, it can be difficult to identify the difference just by looking at it. The main difference is in the ingredients and nutritional value.

Is Analogue Paneer Unhealthy?

Not every analogue paneer product is necessarily unhealthy. However, its protein, fat and calcium levels can be different from regular paneer. That is why consumers should check the product before buying it.

How To Identify It?

The easiest way is to read the label. Check the product name and ingredient list. Look for ingredients such as vegetable fat, vegetable oil or starch. Also check the nutrition information for protein, fat and calcium.

Which One Should You Buy?

If you want traditional paneer, choose a product made mainly from milk. In simple words, regular paneer is a traditional milk based product, while analogue paneer is made to resemble paneer using a combination of ingredients.

So next time you buy paneer, don’t just look at it. Read the label and know what you are buying.