Mumbai, August 5: In a significant move against food adulteration, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has imposed an immediate one-year ban on the production, storage, distribution, transportation, and sale of analog or fake (non-dairy) cheese across the state.
This directive was issued in a notification on Tuesday under Section 30(2)(A) of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, along with Sections 18 and 29.
The order, led by FDA Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, will impact hotels, restaurants, catering services, and other food establishments. This decision follows repeated concerns raised by BJP MLA Vikram Pachpute in the Maharashtra Assembly regarding the growing synthetic cheese trade in the state.
Pachpute welcomed the decision, praising the FDA Commissioner for taking a crucial step to protect public health and combat food fraud. He stated, “FDA inspection teams will conduct surprise raids on food businesses, suppliers, and catering companies across Maharashtra. Companies caught holding or serving fake or analog cheese will face heavy fines, product seizures, and legal action under food safety laws.”
According to the order, all districts in the state are now prohibited from producing, packing, wholesale selling, retail selling, or displaying any type of non-dairy cheese. Hotels, restaurants, caterers, cloud kitchens, and other food establishments are now barred from using, preparing, storing, or serving analog cheese in any dishes.
Manufacturers of genuine cheese or chenna made from milk must strictly adhere to the Food Safety and Standards (Labeling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Strict actions will also be taken against the sale of open cheese without batch numbers, bills, or proper packaging, as this complicates the identification of the product’s source.
Violators will face actions under Sections 50, 51, 52, 55, and 59 of the FSSA, which include hefty fines, product seizures, and the destruction of non-compliant stock.
According to FDA reports, between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, 308 samples of cheese and dairy analogs were tested. Of these, 109 samples (35.4 percent) failed to meet state standards. Among them, 79 samples were found to be of poor quality, while 30 were declared unsafe.
Investigations revealed that in many cases, cheap vegetable oils and non-dairy fats were used instead of natural milk fat. Laboratory tests showed discrepancies in standards such as butyro-refractometer readings and iodine values.
The FDA noted that analog cheese lacks the nutritional value found in cheese made from real milk, particularly with lower protein content. This can adversely affect consumers who rely on cheese as a primary protein source in their vegetarian diets.
Despite monitoring and awareness campaigns over the past year, food adulteration and misleading sales have not been completely eradicated in the state. Therefore, a clear ban on analog cheese has been deemed necessary to safeguard consumer health and food safety.
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