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Every other day we see fake food being sold in the market. From dals to spices, nothing is safe and you should be very careful before buying them so as not to harm your health. Another similar product is paneer. Paneer, a classic Indian dish, is loved for its soft texture and creamy taste. However, given the increased risk of food adulteration, verifying authenticity is crucial. If you frequently purchase packaged or store-bought cheese, here are some simple tips to check its authenticity. Here are some tips:

Check the aroma and texture: If you've ever tried raw cheese at home, you know that it has a distinct milky aroma. This is what separates real cheese from fake cheese. Real cheese has a fresh aroma and a hard and brittle texture. Take a small piece and squeeze it between your fingers. If your cheese is rubbery, too smooth, or lacks the milky flavor, it is probably fake or adulterated.

Check the packaging: For packaged cheese, the label can be an important indicator of authenticity. Always look for quality certifications like the FSSAI mark. If a product is not made from pure dairy, look out for certain terms such as “imitation” or “similar” that manufacturers must label. This will help you make informed decisions.

Do the heat test: Simply heat a small piece of cheese in a dry pan. Real cheese will brown and crumble easily in the pan, while fake cheese may melt unevenly, release excess moisture, or appear oily. With this simple test you can check the quality of your cheese before adding it to your recipes.

Iodine Authenticity Test: Another way to test the authenticity of cheese is to do a simple iodine test to see if it contains starch. After cooking and cooling the cheese, add a few drops of iodine tincture to the water. If the solution turns blue, this indicates the presence of starch in the purchased cheese.

Try Arhar Dal Test: In this test, you need to boil cheese in water, let it cool and then sprinkle arhar dal powder over the cheese. Let rest for 10 minutes. If the color of the cheese changes to bright red, it may be contaminated with pollutants such as detergents or urea, which is sometimes used in adulteration.