Part-I Extra Other

Extra No. 29 © The Gujarat Government Gazette EXTRAORDINARY PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY Vol. LXVII ] WEDNESAY, AUGUST 5, 2026 / SRAVANA 14, 1948 Separate paging is given to this part in order that it may be filed as a Separate Compilation.

PART I CENTRAL SECTION Miscellaneous Notifications, Appointments, etc.

FOOD & DRUGS CONTROL ADMINISTRATION

ORDER Gujarat State, Gandhinagar, 5th August, 2026 UNDER SECTION 30(2)(A) OF THE FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS ACT, 2006.

No.CFDC/01/2026/MIS/e-file/141/2025/3242/I-Food:- WHEREAS, in terms of regulations 2.1.16 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, “Paneer” is defined as the product obtained from any variant of milk with or without added milk solids by precipitation with permitted acidulants such as lactic acid, citric acid, malic acid, vinegar, glucono delta-lactone, or sour whey & heating; and expressly restricts the inclusion of non-dairy or foreign fat in any form; and

WHEREAS Food Safety Officers of the State of Gujarat have drawn samples of paneer from various districts under

Section 47 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006;

WHEREAS the samples were analyzed by notified Food Testing Laboratories and several samples of paneer have been declared unsafe / sub-standard under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, containing Vegetable/foreign fats, excess moisture, starch and other unauthorized substances;

WHEREAS, in terms of Section-26 of the FSS Act, 2006, it is the responsibility of every Food Business Operator

(FBO) to ensure that the articles of the food satisfy the requirements of the FSS Act as well as the rules and regulations made hereunder at all stages of production, processing, import, distribution and sale within the business under their control; and

WHEREAS, Part-III of Schedule-4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 prescribes that potentially high-risk foods shall be received and maintained at or below 5C, and non- compliance with the same poses a direct risk to food safety and public health, and I-Misc. Ex-29 29-129-2 GUJARAT GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EX., 05-08-2026 [ PART- I

WHEREAS Section 18(1)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 mandates that all implementing authorities shall be guided by the principle of achieving an appropriate level of protection for human life and health, while ensuring fair practices in food trade and Section 18(1)(f) further provids that where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a food may present a risk to human health, the Commissioner of Food Safety shall take appropriate measures to inform the public and to prevent, reduce or eliminate that risk; and

WHEREAS Section 26(1) & 26(2)(i) of the FSS Act impose a statutory obligation that no Food Business Operator shall manufacture, store, distribute or sell unsafe food;

WHEREAS Regulation 2.1.1(10) of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 empowers the State to prohibit the sale of food articles that are dangerous, adulterated or unsafe;

WHEREAS Section 30(2)(a) empowers the Commissioner of Food Safety to prohibit the manufacture, storage, distribution or sale of any food article in the interest of public health;

NOW, THEREFORE, In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (2) of Section 30 read with Section 18 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (Act No. 34 of 2006), and upon a comprehensive review of departmental enforcement data, laboratory analysis, fair trade practices, consumer interests and risk assessments relating to dairy analogues—specifically Analogue in the dairy context—and being satisfied that it is imperative in the interest of public health to prevent consumer deception and unfair trade practices concerning the manufacture, sale and consumption of such non-standardized non-dairy products, the Commissioner of Food Safety, Government of Gujarat, hereby issues the

following Prohibition Order: "Within the entire geographical territory of the State of Gujarat, the manufacture, processing, packing, storage, transportation, distribution, sale, offering for sale or use in food service establishments of non-standardized ' Analogue in the dairy context ' which particularly imitate paneer, cream, butter or other dairy products, or create the impression that they are genuine dairy products, are hereby prohibited with immediate effect." This prohibition shall specifically apply to the following non-standardized Dairy Food Products (excluding standardized products such as Frozen Desserts, Processed Cheese and Mixed Fat Spreads):

 Products which are not genuine dairy products;  Products which use vegetable fat, vegetable oil or other non-dairy ingredients wholly or partly in place of milk, milk fat or milk solids;  Products which have labelling, packaging, presentation, advertising or a method of sale that misleads or is likely to mislead consumers into believing that they are genuine dairy products.

COMPULSORY COMPLIANCE BY FBOs

All Food Business Operators shall: a. Immediately stop the sale of dairy context Analogues. b. Maintain comprehensive procurement, manufacturing and distribution records. c. Ensure full compliance with Regulation 2.1.16 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products and Standards Food Additive) Regulations, 2011.

d. Ensure full compliance with the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. e. Hotel, Restaurants, caterers, eateries, cloud kitchens and other food service establishments use only genuine and standardized dairy products and do not mislead to consumers.

VIOLATION

Any FBO violating this Prohibition Order shall be liable for:  Penalties under Section 50,51,52,55 and 59 for failure to comply with order,  Penalties under other relevant sections mentioned in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 depending on the severity of the offense.CENTRAL SECTION ] GUJARAT GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EX., 05-08-2026 29-3 This prohibition shall come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette and shall remain effective for a period of one year from the date of publication, or until the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

(FSSAI) notifies final regulatory standards or regulations governing such products, or until this Order is revoked, amended or superseded by the Commissioner of Food Safety, Government of Gujarat, whichever is earlier.

The detailed Prohibition Order issued by the Commissioner of Food Safety, Food and Drugs Control Administration, Government of Gujarat, shall be complied with by all concerned authorities and all Food Business Operators throughout the State.

DR. RATANKANVAR H. GADHAVICHARAN, IAS, Commissioner of Food Safety, Food & Drugs Control Administration Government of Gujarat. ------------ Government Central Press, Gandhinagar.