The Food Safety Department has seized 25 quintals of analogue paneer from a dairy in Sehore district, days after Madhya Pradesh imposed a ban on its manufacture and sale. The action was carried out late Wednesday night at Rudransh Dairy in Pachama village following complaints about the production of substandard and analogue paneer.

The raid was conducted jointly by the Bhopal Divisional Flying Squad and officials of the Food and Drug Administration Department, Sehore. Officials said the dairy had allegedly continued producing analogue paneer despite the state government's restrictions.

The latest action is significant because the same facility had reportedly been inspected earlier, with more than two quintals of analogue paneer seized during a previous operation.

25 Quintals Seized

According to officials, the inspection team recovered a large quantity of the suspected analogue paneer from the Rudransh facility. The seized material, weighing around 25 quintals, was sealed after the inspection.

Divisional flying squad in-charge Pankaj Srivastava said the team acted after a complaint regarding the alleged manufacture of fake and analogue paneer in Sehore reached the Food Commissioner.

The officials conducted the inspection late at night and examined the manufacturing area and products stored at the facility.

Production Continued After Ban

The action comes shortly after Madhya Pradesh imposed restrictions on the manufacture and sale of analogue paneer.

Officials said the Rudransh Dairy was allegedly continuing production even after the restrictions came into effect on August 12. The latest seizure has raised questions about compliance with the ban and the monitoring of dairy-product manufacturing units in the district.

The department's intervention also follows an earlier raid at the same facility.

Earlier Raid Also Conducted

The Food and Drug Administration Department had previously inspected the Pachama-based dairy after receiving information about the alleged production of analogue paneer.

During that operation, officials seized more than two quintals of the suspected product. Despite the earlier action, authorities found a substantially larger quantity during the latest inspection.

The repeated seizure has prompted renewed scrutiny of the dairy's operations and compliance with food safety requirements.

Labelling Irregularities Found

Apart from the suspected analogue paneer, officials also reported irregularities in the packaging and labelling of the products.

The inspection team reportedly found salt and sugar at the facility and identified shortcomings in the manufacturing process. Officials said the packets did not properly mention the company and product names and that the labelling did not comply with the required standards.

The authorities sealed the seized stock following the inspection.

Food Safety Concerns

Analogue paneer is generally produced using ingredients other than the conventional milk-based ingredients used for paneer. The Madhya Pradesh government's restrictions have been aimed at preventing the manufacture and sale of such products and addressing concerns over food quality.

The seizure in Sehore comes amid increased scrutiny of dairy products and food items suspected to be substandard or improperly labelled.

Further Action Likely

The latest seizure is expected to lead to further proceedings under applicable food safety regulations. Authorities will examine the products and the manufacturing practices at the facility before deciding on additional action.

The repeated discovery of analogue paneer at the same dairy also highlights the challenge of enforcing restrictions after an initial inspection.

For consumers, officials have advised caution when purchasing packaged dairy products and checking product labels and other mandatory details before buying them.