Paneer and ghee most adulterated foods: Is homemade the safer option?

India Today

2 days ago

Paneer, the go-to protein source for vegetarians, is back in the spotlight, but not for good reason. Often used in daily Indian meals, or as a special shahi spread, this much-loved dairy item has come under scrutiny in Punjab after a large-scale quality test revealed that more than one-third of paneer samples were adulterated.According to a recent report by the Punjab Health Department, out of 531 paneer samples tested, 196 failed the quality test, and 59 were declared unsafe for consumption. The reason? Use of starch and harmful chemicals in production.advertisementPunjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh didn't mince words when he said that these chemicals should not have been used for making paneer. "I advise people to make their own paneer at home or buy it from a certified brand like the Punjab government-owned Verka. One should minimise the purchase of paneer from the market. Earlier, women used to make paneer by boiling curdled milk at home. The same method should be put to use," he said.
In the testing process, ghee didn't fare much better. Out of 222 ghee samples tested, 20 were substandard, and 28 were unsafe. And Dr. Singh had something to say about that too, especially the much-hyped A2 ghee.'There is nothing like A2 ghee,' he clarified. 'We have seen vendors selling it for Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per kg. The truth is, there is no such product as A2 ghee; it's just like A1 ghee. Do not get misled. Either buy from Milkfed or make it at home. There is no rocket science in this.'Prachi Jain, Chief Clinical Nutritionist at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, agrees with the idea of homemade dairy. "In homemade paneer or ghee, you have control over the ingredients,' she tells IndiaToday.in. 'You can use good-quality milk, preferably organic. This avoids adulteration with starch, synthetic solids, or poor-quality fats often added in commercial items.'She also points out the added benefits: 'When made at home, these items are preservative-free. Market-bought paneer and ghee could contain anti-foam agents, bleaching chemicals, or additives to extend shelf life or improve appearance.'Homemade dairy also scores on freshness and hygiene. You can maintain cleanliness at each step, from boiling the milk to filtering ghee. You also get to enjoy a better taste, smell, and nutrient content.There's another often-ignored factor: sodium.Commercial paneer sometimes contains added salt for flavour and preservation, but homemade versions are naturally low in sodium, unless you add it yourself.Nutrition aside, there's also the taste and texture. 'You can tweak the firmness of paneer depending on whether you want to grill it or use it in curries,' Prachi said. 'Similarly, ghee can be light and mildly aromatic or deeply browned—your kitchen, your rules.'But is it really practical to make paneer and ghee at home? While it's the safest option, the process demands time, effort, and a lot of milk, something that doesn't quite fit into everyone's busy schedules.If you can spare the effort, making your own paneer and ghee might be the healthiest, and safest, choice. Because with rising cases of adulteration, the risk might not be worth the convenience.- EndsTrending Reel