Punjab’s Health Minister, Dr Balbir Singh, revealed alarming results from recent quality tests: out of 531 paneer samples, 196 were sub-standard and 59 deemed unsafe contaminated with starch and harmful chemicals. Ghee fared little better, with 20 out of 222 samples falling short and 28 categorized unsafe.

Dr Singh firmly debunked the hype around “A2 ghee,” clarifying there’s no meaningful difference from A1 and warning against extravagant pricing that misleads consumers. His advice: revert to traditional, homemade methods curdle boiled milk, separate cream, make paneer and ghee at home or purchase only from certified brands like the state-owned Verka.

To empower residents, the state has expanded its “Food Safety on Wheels” mobile testing vans across all districts, offering low-cost testing and raising awareness. This ramped-up enforcement has led to 145 convictions and reinforced a “zero tolerance” stance on food adulteration.