India, Aug. 6 -- Am I eating real or 'analogue' paneer? The question has gained urgency in Maharashtra after the state's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the manufacture, sale and use of analogue or non-dairy paneer for a year on July 30, citing public health concerns.

The order also directed hotels, restaurants, caterers and cloud kitchens to stop using analogue paneer. Maharashtra was the second state to impose such a ban after Chattisgarh, and Gujarat followed suit on Wednesday.

The state government's decision, however, differs from the approach adopted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The national food regulator permits the sale of analogue paneer as long as it is accurately labelled and not misr...