Indore Food Safety Alert As 33% Ghee Samples Fail Quality Tests, 19 Paneer Samples Found Substandard, Penalties Cross ₹99 Lakh

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Nearly one in three desi ghee samples tested by the Food Safety Administration in Indore failed to meet prescribed quality standards between January and September 2026. Of the 121 samples collected, 40 failed laboratory tests, recording a failure rate of 33%.

Paneer also showed quality violations, with 19 of 131 samples failing tests, a rate of 14.5%. Three of 45 milk samples and one of 57 cooking oil samples also failed to meet prescribed standards.

The findings raise concerns about food quality, particularly during the festive season when consumption of ghee, sweets and dairy products increases.

Food safety violations attract penalties exceeding Rs 99 lakh

The Food Safety Administration registered 20 cases during the nine months and imposed penalties exceeding Rs 99 lakh in 12 cases. Licences of six food establishments were also suspended.

Consumers advised to check labels, avoid loose ghee

District food officer Manish Swami advised consumers to avoid loose or unlabelled ghee from unidentified vendors and insist on purchase bills. He urged buyers to check FSSAI licence numbers, manufacturer details, manufacturing and expiry dates, and packaging seals.

Swami also advised reporting suspected adulteration or poor-quality products to the Food Safety Administration. He cautioned against unusually cheap products but clarified that low prices alone do not establish adulteration. Only laboratory testing can determine compliance with prescribed quality and safety standards.

The high failure rate among tested ghee and paneer samples highlights the need for regular inspections and stricter enforcement.