Know Your Paneer: Guide To Recognising Fake Paneer At Home
Know Your Paneer: Guide To Recognising Fake Paneer At Home
Production of Fake paneer has been growing rampantly in the food industry; here’s how you can check for the authenticity of paneer at home.
19 April 2024
Paneer holds a special place in the hearts of vegetarians and is a beloved and delectable treat for all. Apart from being good in taste, it is also very rich in nutrients like protein, vitamins and more, which help satiate the daily nutritional needs of the human body.
However, paneer adulteration has become rampant and cases of fake paneer being sold in stores keep coming up very frequently. In the latest case of paneer adulteration the authorities have confiscated 1300 kilograms of faux paneer and have disposed of it along the Mumbai-Delhi expressway, keeping public safety in mind.
Almost 2 years ago, in May 2022, two factories were raided by the Mumbai police and a staggering 2000 kg of adulterated paneer was seized.
According to reports, the key ingredients of fake paneer include milk powder and water, which after mixing together, is curdled with lime juice and acetic acid, and at last is topped off with palm oil for a creamy and glossy appearance.
It is important to know the authenticity of what you consume in a day and while the Food Safety and Authority of India (FSSAI) has a lot of measures and tests for adulteration in food products like paneer, there are methods of inspecting the quality of paneer at home too, including the following:
It’s all Handy: Exert pressure with your bare hands on the paneer because if it is fake, it will crumble and fall apart easily.
Iodine Tincture: Put paneer in a pan with water in it. Boil the paneer. After it has cooled down, add some drops of iodine tincture; if the colour changes to blue the paneer is fake.
Arhar Dal & Soybean Powder: Boil paneer and after it has cooled down add some arhar dal powder or soybean powder to it. Paneer which is made with detergent or urea will turn light red.
Test your taste: Artificial paneer will be too chewy and paneer which has been contaminated with detergent will taste really sour. Always taste a small bit of your paneer before purchasing it.
