‘Wait, is my matar paneer safe?’ Inside the Indian cottage cheese controversy

In a home where mustard and maach reign supreme, Paulami Sengupta, 47, quietly enjoys her paneer. But the recent surge of reels, videos and threads have left her uneasy. “Every bite you take is suspect,” says the publishing professional from Kolkata who has stopped ordering paneer dishes in restaurants or even buying paneer from outside. Determined not to give up on her favourite matar paneer though, she now relies solely on homemade stuff. “It’s extra work for the cook, but it’s the only way I can have some peace of mind.”In kitchens across India (yes, even in the South where paneer consumption is on the rise), the soft, creamy cheese has become quite controversial. Influencers are filming iodine-drop tests in restaurants and WhatsApp groups are trading homemade hacks on how to spot the fake from the real, even as raids unearth factories making spurious paneer.One of the biggest raids on a dairy factory near Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh yielded about 250 kg of synthetic paneer and 800 litres of adulterated milk—laced with saccharin, sodium metabisulfite (commonly used in disinfectants), rose water, fabric whiteners, and ritha (used in shampoos). “This Gorakhpur establishment brought in karigars (workers) from Haryana, where this method of making fake paneer was first developed,” says Sudhir Kumar Singh, assistant commissioner of food safety in Gorakhpur, who was one of officers to lead the raid.The great cottage cheese controversy took on a viral dimension after food vlogger Sarthak Sachdeva, with millions of YouTube subscribers, posted a video alleging that the paneer served by a restaurant owned by a Bollywood celebrity was fake. His claim hinged on a tincture iodine test which has become the favourite tool of the paneer police. The restaurant clarified that the test only detects starch, and that the blue-black reaction was due to soy-based ingredients. Chef Vikas Khanna publicly called the influencer’s claims “misinformation.” However, the video sparked a cascade of copycat tests, including by influencer Apple Tiwari, who ran iodine checks at several fast-food chains. The brands cited preparation coatings and ingredients—not fake paneer—as the cause of the colour change.So, if the iodine test is faulty, then what works? Singh offers practical advice. “If paneer is being sold for Rs 200 to ₹250 a kilo, you should be suspicious. Regular paneer costs Rs 300 or more for a kg as 1 kg of milk yields about 200 gms of paneer,” he says. But how have fake paneer makers managed to elude checks? “They know how to manipulate the values of milk fat to pass lab tests. The moment we identify one adulterant, they switch to a new chemical,” says Singh.Analogue is not illegalKuldeep Sharma, founder of Suruchi Consultants, a dairy sector advisory firm, says one has to distinguish between analogue and adulterated paneer. “Analogue is not adulterated. It’s not illegal either,” he says, adding that analogue paneer is made by replacing milk fat or protein with plant-based ingredients like palm oil or soya protein to reduce costs and improve shelf life. “If a product contains palm oil or soy protein instead of milk fat, does it pose a health risk? No, the problem is when it’s sold as paneer.”According to FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), the word ‘paneer’ is reserved for pure dairy products which must carry a blue drop symbol to indicate purity. Analogue products are allowed—as long as they are clearly identified as such. Adulteration, on the other hand, is a criminal activity. In April, an FSSAI report classified paneer as among the most adulterated food items. One reason is that most paneer is produced in India’s unorganised dairy sector. “It’s sold unlabelled with no source traceability,” says Sharma. ShowQuotesPawan Agarwal, former CEO of FSSAI, makes another distinction. “If analogue paneer contains trans fats above the 2% limit, then yes, it is unsafe and can be booked. If it’s just made with vegetable fats and clearly labelled, it’s not unsafe. FSSAI ensures safety. Whether a food is healthy or not is a consumer’s decision,” he says.The ‘loose’ loopholeIf analogue isn’t the villain and adulteration is rare in organised plants, what explains the rampant circulation of fake paneer? Sharma points to restaurant procurement practices. “Restaurants may source bulk paneer from unregulated suppliers to cut costs. But why single out paneer? A commercial kitchen can be cutting corners on hundreds of ingredients.” Encouragingly, Sharma says FSSAI is taking steps for consumer clarity. “By June 16, the restaurant industry must respond to a draft that mandates clear labelling on menus about whether paneer served is pure or analogue.”Meanwhile, wary customers are asking questions. Shivansh Bhasin, head chef at Quarter Plate by Kunal Kapur, a modern Indian tapas-style restaurant in Noida, says the ripple effects are real. “Guests are asking more about where we source our paneer from, whether we make it in-house, what brand it is. They’re not avoiding paneer altogether, but they’re more cautious now.” Bhasin notes that some consumers have gone to extremes. “I’ve seen guests pull out iodine tinctures at the table to check if paneer is fake. That’s disruptive and misinformed, especially when people don’t understand food science.”Dentist and health educator Pulkit Kumar has been trying to bust myths around the iodine test. “If the paneer is processed, fried or coated with besan or cornflour, you’ll get a blue-black reaction. That doesn’t mean the paneer is fake. That means there’s starch, which isn’t unusual for street food prep.” Interestingly, analogue paneer will pass the test. “Most analogue paneer producers don’t use starch anymore. They’ve moved on to other fat or protein substitutes. So it’llpass even though it may not be pure.”Agarwal has a bit of straightforward advice: “Buy packaged paneer and check the label. If it’s analogue, it will be written. Any loose paneer is Ram bharose.”