Influencer finds adulterated paneer in Gauri Khan’s restaurant: This is what the restaurant has to say

In recent times, the news about fake or adulterated foods has been flooding the market. In the beginning of April, 1300 kg of fake paneer was seized by the food safety officials in Patiala. And now, as per the latest report, celebrity Gauri Khan's restaurant, Torii, in Mumbai, has come onto the radar for serving adulterated paneer. Scroll down to read the details.

YouTuber Sarthak Sachdeva recently shared a video on social media, where is seen visiting celebrity-owned restaurants and is conducting paneer purity check with the help of iodine solution. He visited Virat Kohli's One8 Commune, Shilpa Shetty's Bastian, Bobby Deol's Someplace Else with a vial of iodine tincture. He'd remove the fried layer from the paneer, wash it in a bowl of water and put iodine drops on it. No paneer piece turned black in any of these restaurants, which Sarthak assumed to be a marker of quality ingredients being used.
However, at Torii, the paneer turned dark when introduced to iodine. “Shah Rukh Khan ke restaurant mein paneer nakli tha. Ye dekh ke mere toh hosh udd gaye the (Shah Rukh Khan's restaurant is selling fake paneer. I lost my mind on seeing this)!” he said in the video. Take a look at the video.

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In response to his video, Torii commented, “The iodine test reflects the presence of starch, not the authenticity of the paneer. As the dish contains soy-based ingredients, this reaction is expected. We stand by the purity of our paneer and the integrity of our ingredients at Torii,” they wrote. Sarthak joked, “So am I banned now? Btw your food is amazing.”


What is an iodine test?
As per experts, the iodine tincture test is a common practice, used to detect the presence of starch in food. When iodine comes into contact with starch, it turns dark blue or black. Since pure paneer is made from milk proteins and does not naturally contain starch, an iodine test that results in a colour change could indicate the presence of synthetic or adulterated paneer.


What are the side effects of additives in paneer
As per experts, when paneer is made from fresh milk, it is rich in proteins, healthy fats, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and B12. With starch and other additives, the carbohydrate and fat content may go up while that of protein will come down. The micronutrients go down too.


Side effects of starchy paneer
A daily intake of unhealthy fats and refined starches can significantly increase calorie consumption, potentially leading to weight gain. Certain additives found in synthetic milk products may disrupt the body’s hormonal balance, affecting overall health. Additionally, the saturated and trans fats often present in artificial milk alternatives—such as those made with vegetable oils—can raise cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Some chemical compounds used in processing may also pose a threat to vital organs like the liver and kidneys, potentially contributing to long-term damage.