Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Monday claimed that paneer served in many hotels in the state is made of vegetable oil and not milk. Vikhe Patil, who previously served as the state agriculture minister, said he was keen on banning the adulterated paneer. The minister’s statement created an uproar among restaurant owners and also consumers. He was addressing an agro-exhibition at Nashik.
President of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHAR), Arvind Shetty said, “The minister should not have passed a blind statement. We have 8,000 restaurants under our association in Mumbai and around 22,000 across Maharashtra, and none of our members uses adulterated paneer. We serve our consumers paneer made of milk and it is stored in well-maintained temperatures. All our members have registered food suppliers. We also carry out regular inspections and ensure the quality of food is maintained.”
Shetty however added that the dhabas and street food vendors need a check. “It cannot be said that all paneer you get in the market is hygienic and made of milk. The authorities should conduct regular inspections on the street-side food stalls, dhabas on the highway and small eateries. The minister is right that pure milk should be used for making food items like paneer and cow farmers should benefit, however, it is the government’s job to ensure that. The Food and Drugs Administration should carry inspection on road-side stalls and ensure food safety standards are complied.”
Vikhe Patil said, “A few years ago, the Union government permitted the paneer production from vegetable oil. So, the paneer you get in hotels is generally made from vegetable oil and not from milk. You may get it (milk-based paneer) at some places (hotels). I had previously made efforts and still expect the Centre to ban it.”
Although Vikhe Patil’s keenness on banning adulterated panner is right, the minister should prevent making loose statements that would hike anxiety among the common man, experts say. Food author Kunal Vijaykar said, “It is the first time I have heard paneer is made of vegetable oil. It is a new information.”
Further in his address, Vikhe Patil added, ““I am keen on banning the production of vegetable oil-based paneer and allowing only milk-based paneer. If such a decision is taken, 40 lakh litres of milk will be diverted for paneer production,” Vikhe Patil said. The Maharashtra government is already encouraging the rearing of indigenous cows. In the last Cabinet (meeting) of the previous state government, I decided to spend Rs 50 per cow daily from the state coffers.
Reetu Uday Kugaji, a Culinary Expert and Chef Consultant said, “No graded hotels, fine dines use adulterated paneer. For them, the quality of food is more important than profits. Consumers can be assured that graded and fine dine restaurants have registered suppliers, well-maintained refrigerators to restore quality and hygiene is maintained too. Plus authorities carry out regular inspections at restaurants. The politicians should refrain from passing general statements that can cause panic.”
Kugaji however added that street food vendors who run without food licenses might serve adulterated cottage cheese. “Street vendors focus on profits rather than quality. Authorities should carry out inspections and seize adulterated food items and also specify from whom that adulterated food items are seized so that consumers are aware, rather than passing general statement which can cause consumers to lose confidence in eating in restaurants who are not at fault.”
