Paneer: A Very Popular Milk Product in Indian Sub-continent

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23 BEVERAGE & FOOD WORLD - Vol. 46 - No. 7 - JULY 2019
Paneer: A Very Popular Milk Product
in Indian Sub-continent
Prof. Dr. Mahendra Pal
Narayan Consultancy on Veterinary Public Health and Microbiology, Aangan, Jagnath Ganesh Dairy Road, Anand-388001,Gujarat, India
Email: palmahendra2@gmail
ABSTRACT
Milk and dairy foods are great sources of protein,
minerals and vitamins. Paneer is a well-known heat-
and acid-coagulated milk product that resembles soft
cheese. It is rich in calcium and protein and helps in
many body processes. This dairy product is very
popular in the Indian subcontinent and has also
appeared in the western and Middle East markets. In
India, 1 % of the total milk production is converted
into paneer, and the annual production is estimated
150, 000 tonnes. Currently, paneer has enjoyed the
status of national culinary dish in India. The shelf
life of paneer is quite low and it loses freshness after
two to three days when stored under refrigeration.
The spoilage of paneer occurs mainly due to the
growth of microbes. Various preservation techniques
have been suggested for enhancing the shelf life of
paneer. The use of antimicrobial additives is not
advised because of perceived toxicity risks. Modified
atmosphere packaging has been recommended as
one of the best techniques for maximizing its shelf
life. The vegetarian community should include Paneer
as part of daily diet in order to fulfill protein
requirement of the body. In many developing
countries, poor hygiene during preparation, storage,
and handling can lead to microbiological
contamination of food. Hence, it is suggested to
implement good manufacturing techniques (GMP),
good hygienic practices (GHP), and hazard analysis
critical control (HACCP) programme in all the food
processing industries to have quality products in the
market that is safe and wholesome to the consumer.
It is imperative to assess the quality of paneer in
terms of physical, chemical, and microbial attributes.
Keywords: Coagulated dairy product, Hygienic measures, Microbial
contamination, Modified atmosphere packaging, Paneer, Shelf life, Soft
cheese
INTRODUCTION
Milk and milk products have been an important part of
the human diet since ancient time. Milk and dairy foods
are considered healthy foods as they serve as good
sources of proteins, calcium, phosphorus, potassium,
magnesium, and vitamins A, vitamin D, B12, and
riboflavin and other essential nutrients need for body.
Milk products are consumed throughout the world by both
sexes, all age groups, and in all seasons. India is the
largest producer of milk in the world with a production of
about 155.5 million tonnes during 2015-16. Presently,
India accounts for over 13% of the world’s total milk
production (Pal et al., 2018). In India, about 45-50 % of
the total milk produced is converted into variety of
traditional milk products using processes such as heat
and acid coagulation, heat desiccation, and fermentation.
The market for Indian traditional products is estimated to
be more than Rs. 6,500.0 crores (Patil, 2002).
A product prepared from milk of domesticated
ruminants is known as dairy product. Many dairy products,
which include butter, butter milk, cheese, curd, ghee, ice
cream, lassi, paneer, pedha, kalakand ,burfi, rasmalai
,basundi, khurchun, rabri, chakka, lassi, makkhan , butter
milk, butter oil, shrikhand, rasgulla, gulabjamun, etc form
an integral part of the Indian diet. These products are
mainly prepared from the milk of buffalo and cow.
However, goat, camel, and yak milk are also used in
certain parts of India to make these commodities. Some
of the dairy products like cheese, ice cream butter,
yoghurt and dried milk powder are easily available
globally (Pal and Jadhav, 2013).
It is believed that the nomads of south west Asia were
probably the first to develop paneer. The term paneer
was introduced in India by the Persian and Afghan
invaders who entered through Baluchistan and Kara-
koram passes of Himalayas. It is most likely that paneer
making practice was primarily restricted to the north-west
frontier regions of India and southern part of Jammu and
Kashmir due to influence of foreign settlers in this region.
However, in the last five decades, paneer has received
a great importance due its wider use in a variety of
culinary dishes in India. Paneer is an important
indigenous dairy product that represents one of the soft
varieties of cheese. It is estimated that 1 % of India’s
total milk production is converted into paneer and the
annual production is estimated at 150, 000 tonnes (Aneja
et al., 2002). Paneer has great value in Indian diet
because it is an excellent source of high quality proteins,
fat, and minerals.
According to Food Safety and Standards Authority of
India (FSSAI, 2011), paneer can be defined as the
product obtained from cow or buffalo milk or a
combination thereof by precipitation with sour milk, lactic
acid or citric acid. It shall not contain more than 70%
moisture and the milk fat content shall not be less than
50% of the dry matter. Paneer has high level of fat (22-
This paper is dedicated to Hon. Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra
Modi who is a credited to launch the Digital India programme, Make in
India, and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India) campaign. He also
launched the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, a government health insurance
scheme.
He is recipient of several international awards including the United
Nation’s highest environmental award, the “Champions of the Earth”.

24 BEVERAGE & FOOD WORLD - Vol. 46 - No. 7 - JULY 2019
25%) and protein (16-18%) and a low level of lactose
(2.0-2.7%) (Kanawjia and Singh, 1996). In addition to
milk, sweet cream butter milk can also be utilized in the
manufacture of paneer (Dharampal and Garg,1989).
Paneer has a short life span of 5-7 days at refrigeration
storage (Bhattacharya et al., 1971), but freshness of the
product is lost after 3 days. It is, therefore, advised to
consume the paneer with in week time. The product
should be prepared and packed in the premises
maintained under hygienic conditions. It shall be stored
at low temperature in properly packed ice boxes and
distributed under hygienic conditions. It is imperative to
monitor every step of food production, from handling of
raw products to preparation of finished foods for getting
good quality to be acceptable to the consumer.
Hurdle technology has been used in a wide variety of
foods including milk and dairy products in order to
increase their shelf life (Pal, 2014). A number of hurdles
like low temperature, pH, water activity, redox potential,
preservative, packaging etc., which are either
bacteriostatic or bactericidal in nature, can be used to
increase shelf-life of paneer. The hurdle technology was
applied to prepare paneer and its shelf stability was
assessed by modified atmospheric packaging
(Thippeswamy, 2011). It is mentioned that reduced pH
is a good preservation technique to enhance the shelf-
life of paneerat refrigeration temperature (Mishra et
al.,2016).
Foodborne diseases caused by multiple etiologic
agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa,
helminthes, and chemicals pose a challenge to public
health authorities ((WHO, 2015). It is reported that an
estimated 600 million (almost 1 in 10 people in the world)
fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420 000 die
every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life
years (DALYs) (WHO,2015). In developing countries,
poor hygiene during preparation, storage and handling
of foods including dairy products can lead to
microbiological contamination .Microbes are widely
present in soil, water, and air and the contamination of
milk and dairy products can occur from different sources
including building, utensils, packaging materials, and
handlers. In India, Bureau of Indian Standards set limits
of paneer for microbial count viz., total plate count
<5×105/g, yeast and mould count <250/g, and coliform
count of <90/g (BIS,1983). The coliforms, and Escherichia
coli are used as indicators of poor microbiological quality
of food particularly face contamination. The contamination
of paneer by pathogenic bacteria can cause
gastrointestinal illnesses in the consumers. Hence, it is
important that the milk and milk products intended for
human use must be free from pathogens, such as
Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157H:7, Listeria
monocyogenes, Salmonella, Stahylococcus aureus, and
Yersinia enterocolitica, which produce serious disease
in the consumers (Pal et al., 2018).The present
communication delineates the growing importance of
paneer as a popular traditional dairy product of India.
PREPARATION OF PANEER
Paneer can be easily prepared at home by adding the
lemon juice or vinegar or curd to the freshly boiled milk
of cow, buffalo or goat and stirred it very well till milk
coagulates in order to separate the curds from whey.
Other coagulants, such as sorbic acid, lactic acid, citric
acid and their sodium, potassium salts can also be used
to make paneer. The curds are drained in a clean muslin
cloth and the excess water is removed by pressing it.
The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2–3
hours to improve its texture and appearance. Pressing
for a shorter time of about 20 minutes results in a softer
and fluffier paneer. In Surat city of Gujarat, India, Surti
Paneer is made by draining the curds and ripening them
in whey for 12 to 36 hours. One litre of full cream milk
can yield about 250 gms of paneer. The paneer made
from buffalo’s milk is white and paneer prepared from
cow’s milk is a pale creamy yellow. It is suggested that
homemade paneer must be refrigerated and used within
3 days. Paneer is easily available in the market at the
grocery stores or dairy shops in air tight packets or open.
It can be stored to the refrigerator in chiller for at least a
week. It is very pertinent to mention that dried, cracked
and uneven colored paneer should not be purchased from
the market. In case, paneer gets hard and turns sour, it
is advised to put it in the warm water for about 5 minutes
and then use.
REQUIREMENTS OF GOOD QUALITY OF PANEER
1. Paneer should be clean and free from dust, dirt,
surface discolouration, insects, and rodents.
2. It should not be contaminated with any adulterants.
3. Paneer should have closely knit smooth texture, firm,
cohesive and spongy body.
4. Paneer should have a pleasant odour and
characteristic mould acidic flavour.
5. All ingredients used in paneer should be clean and
fit for human consumption.
6. The top of the paneer should remain wet not dry.
7. No extraneous colouring matter shall be added to
paneer.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE OF PANEER
It is reported that 100 gm of paneer will provide calorie
72, water, 93.5 g, proteins 13 g, carbohydrates 3.4 g,
and ash 1.5 g. It contains proteins, fats, fatty acids
(Omega-3 fatty acids, Omega-6 fatty acids),
carbohydrates, minerals ( calcium, phosphorus,
magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, iron, copper,
manganese, selenium, fluoride) and vitamins ( Vitamin
A, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin
B1 (thiamin), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B3
(niacin),Vitamin 5 (pantothenic acid ),Vitamin B6, Vitamin
B12, choline , and folates.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF PANEER
Paneer has several health benefits when consumed in
moderate quantity. Overeating of paneer is not advised.
1. It boosts the immune system of body.
2. It prevents tooth decay in children.
3. It helps in healthy fetal development of pregnant
women.
4. It helps in providing strength to the bones.
5. It possesses antioxidant properties.
6. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
7. It decreases the risk of breast cancer.
8. It helps in improving digestion.
9. It reduces muscle cramps.
10. It maintains the brightness and strength of the hair.
11. It makes the skin wrinkle free.
12. It reduces the risk of asthma.

25 BEVERAGE & FOOD WORLD - Vol. 46 - No. 7 - JULY 2019
13. It helps in lowering the body weight and also
managing the weight.
14. It prevents the malnutrition and other protein
deficiencies in children
15. It reduces the risk of prostate cancer.
16. It helps to lower the high blood pressure.
17. It helps in preventing the stone formation in the gall
bladder and urinary system.
18. It decreases the level of anxiety and stress.
USE OF PANEER IN VARIOUS DISHES
In Indian, paneer can be used to prepare many types of
recipes, such as Badami paneer, Chena murki, Chilli
paneer, Egg paneer, Gobhi paneer, Kadahi paneer,
Khoya paneer, Khoya paneer, Mattar paneer, Mixed
paneer vegetable, Palak paneer, Paneer bhurji, Paneer
biryani, Paneer capsicum, Paneer curry, Paneer finger,
Paneer Jalfrezi, Paneer kathi roll , Paneer kofta, Paneer
makhani ,Paneer momo, Paneer pakora, Paneer patty,
Paneer pizza, Paneer roll, Paneer tikka, Paneer tikka
masala, Paneer whey beverage, Rasgulla , Rasmalai,
Saag paneer, Sandesh, and Shahi paneer and others.
Most international fast food restaurants in India offer
paneer-based food. McSpicy Paneer and Paneer Wrap
are available in McDonald’s India. In the United Kingdom,
Subway culinary serves a saag paneer. It is stated that
unflavored and unsalted paneer is traditionally used for
culinary purposes. Paneer can also be used in salads,
sandwiches, masala dosa, curries, toppings, cheesecake
and etc. It is suggested that homemade paneer must be
refrigerated and used within 3 days.
Paneer is easily available in the market at the grocery
stores or dairy shops. It is advised to see the
manufacturing date, its hygienic conditions, milk used to
prepare, softness and freshness before purchasing from
market. In case paneer is not immediately used after its
purchase from maket, it should be kept under refrigeration
to prevent microbial spoilage.
MICROBES IN PANEER
Milk and dairy products are rich sources of many nutrients
and hence, they serve an excellent medium for microbial
growth (Ledenbach and Marshall, 2009). Microbes are
ubiquitous in distribution and are present in air, water,
and soil. Microbes can originate from different sources,
such as equipment, packaging material, and workers.
They can easily contaminate the milk products by entering
into food chain. It is stated that cleaning and sanitation
of milk and milk products contact surfaces contribute
around 60 % of the total contamination in a dairy plant
(Pal and Mahendra, 2015).Changes in the environmental
conditions during storage, transportation, and handling
may cause microbial spoilage. The spoilage of paneer
occurs mainly due to the growth of microorganisms, which
bring about various physico-chemical changes leading
to the development of off-flavor in the product. Some of
the microbe can produce spoilage of paneer and others
can food poisoning in the consumer.
Numerous bacteria, such as Acinetobacter species,
Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli,
Klebsiella pneumuoniae,Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Staphylococcus species, and Streptococcus species are
isolated from paneer (Vaishnavi et al., 2001; Kaur et
al.,2007). Among fungi, Alternaria,Aspergillus,
Cladosporium, Geotrichum, Mucor, and Penicillium are
recovered from paneer on Sabouraud dextrose medium
and Pal sunflower seed agar (M.Pal Personal
Communication).The composition and method of
preparation of Pal sunflower seed medium is mentioned
in a book entitled “ Veterinary and Medical Mycology
(Pal,2007).The detailed morphology of fungal isolates can
be studied in Narayan stain, (Pal,2004).Further research
on the efficacy of Pal sunflower seed medium for the
isolation of fungi from various foods should be
undertaken. It is now well recognized that environmental
control of food production in plants is an important step
to prevent food contamination by microbes. The
microbiological monitoring of dairy products including
paneer by employing standard laboratory techniques is
recommended for the safety of food to the consumer.
CONCLUSION
Paneer is an important Indian traditional coagulated dairy
product that provides essential nutrients for the body to
maintain sound health. It is mainly used for various
culinary preparations. In the last few decades, due to
growing popularity of paneer, it enjoys the status of a
national delicacy. The unhygienic conditions maintained
during the manufacture lead to lower shelf-life of the
product. Pre-and post-process microbial contamination
of paneer is a potential safety hazard for consumers and
can lead to food poisoning. The microbiological
monitoring of paneer is highly emphasized from food
safety point of view. It is recommended to employ novel
processing techniques to increase the shelf-life of paneer
without affecting its sensory attributes, physico-chemical
properties, and microbiological quality.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The author is highly grateful to Prof.Dr.R.K.Narayan for
going through the manuscript and Anubha for computer
help.
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