On May 21, the FSDA raided and sealed a fake paneer manufacturing unit owned by Mohammed Khalid in Gorakhpur. What they found was deeply alarming: 40 quintals of spurious paneer being processed using only 25 litres of spoiled milk and a cocktail of industrial chemicals. The factory’s ingredient list included soap nuts, poster colour, sulphuric acid, fabric whitener, palm oil, detergent, and saccharin—none of which are fit for human consumption.
Khalid’s illegal enterprise, which generated an estimated ₹42 lakh in monthly revenue, had been supplying this toxic dairy substitute to surrounding regions including Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Sant Kabir Nagar, and Deoria.
From Haryana to Uttar Pradesh: A Growing Public Health Menace
According to officials, the practice of manufacturing synthetic dairy products has long plagued Haryana and now appears to be spreading across Uttar Pradesh. In Khalid’s case, he allegedly brought in workers from Haryana, believed to have prior experience in such food adulteration practices, to scale up production in Gorakhpur.
This cross-border spread of food adulteration techniques highlights both the systemic failure to regulate cottage food industries and the urgent need for surveillance across state lines.
Seizures, Community Outrage, and a Demand for Accountability
The FSDA destroyed 250 kilograms of fake paneer on-site, triggering local outrage but also relief. Residents of Gorakhpur expressed gratitude for the swift government action, emphasizing the need for stricter regulation of food manufacturing.
“This is not just food fraud—it’s slow poisoning of an entire community,” said one FSDA official, vowing tougher inspections in the future.
The bust also sparked renewed conversation about consumer vigilance and the hidden dangers of street-sold dairy products, especially paneer, which remains a dietary staple in many Indian households.