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SpecialReport

he results of a first-of-its- final disposition. the non-conforming eastern states
kind survey on milk by A snap shot National Survey on contained detergent. Samples from
Food Safety and Standards Milk Adulteration conducted to check Goa and Puducherry were 100 per cent
Authority of India (FSSAI) the contaminants in milk, especially compliant.
T reveal that 70 per cent milk liquid milk, throughout the coun- Nearly 70 per cent samples did not
samples collected across the country try found that due to lack of hygiene conform to the standards set for milk.
did not conform to the set standards. It and sanitation in milk handling and Of the total non-compliant samples,
found that most people are consuming packaging, detergents find their way the highest, nearly 46 per cent, be-
detergents and other contaminants into the milk. Many a time, detergents longed to the category of low Solid Not
through milk. are deliberately added to milk. The Fat (SNF), and this was due to dilution
The data released by the Federation survey report notes that the consump- of milk with water. Higher the SNF,
of Indian Animal Protection Organisa- tion of milk with detergents in haz- better the quality of milk. Skimmed
tion (FIAPO) too shows that humans ardous to health. About eight per cent milk powder, generally used to in-
who drink milk increase their chances samples were found to have deter- crease volume of milk in lean season,
of developing heart disease, diabetes, gents. Other contaminants like urea, was present in nearly 548 samples; of
cancer, and many other ailments. It is starch, glucose and formalin, too, are these 477 samples contained glucose.
because of the horrifying state of cattle used as adulterants. FSSAI tested a Apart from fat, SNF, skimmed milk
in 451 milk producing centres from In- total of 1,791 samples. powder and glucose, the survey also
dia’s 10 leading milk producing states looked for the presence of neutralis-
and demands immediate attention by ers, acidity, hydrogen peroxide, sugar,
the Centre and State Governments to starch, urea, salt, detergent, forma-
regulate milk producing dairies. The A key survey suggests lin and vegetable salt. Studies show
FIAPO’s investigative report reveals that 70% per cent milk that adulterants like salt, detergents
how most cows raised in these dairies and glucose add to the thickness and
are intensively confined, leaving them samples collected viscosity of the milk, while starch
unable to fulfill their most basic natu- across the country did prevents curdling of milk. The other
ral needs, such as nursing their calves, synthetic compounds impair the func-
and are treated like milk-producing not conform to the set tioning of various organs of the body,
machines — genetically manipulated, standards and most cause heart problems, cancer, and
pumped with antibiotics and hor- sometimes death. The immediate ef-
mones in order to produce more milk. people are consuming fect of drinking adulterated milk con-
While cows suffer in such set-ups, hu- detergents and taining urea, caustic soda and formalin
mans who drink their milk increase is gastroenteritis, but the long term ef-
their chances of developing heart dis- other contaminants fects are known to be far more serious.
ease, diabetes, cancer, and many other
ailments. through milk Punjab shows dismal record
Reports from Punjab, the leader
Safety of milk among India’s major milk-producing
The unorganised and unregulated Water, it turns out, is the most com- states, with around 36 million litres of
upkeep of dairy animals undoubtedly mon adulterant in milk. It reduces it produced daily and per capita milk
raises a question mark on the safety of the nutritional value of milk, and if availability of 1,035 millilitres a day
the milk that these dairies produce as contaminated, water poses a health suggest that over 60 per cent of the
well as on the sustainability of India’s risk to consumers. Samples were col- milk and milk product samples tested
global leadership of milk production. lected from 28 states and five union as part of a drive against food adultera-
Cattle are separated from calves (male territories. The worst performers were tion failed quality tests recently. Thou-
calves die within the first week in 25% Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West sands of quintals of spurious milk, pa-
of dairies), receive little to no veteri- Bengal, Mizoram, Jharkhand and Da- neer, ghee and khoya have been seized
nary care and are injected with drugs man & Diu, where non-conformity since the drive was launched about a
procured illegally to induce sudden with food safety standards was 100 month ago.
milk let-down in almost 50% of the per cent. The most common reason KS Pannu, Commissioner, Food and
dairies. Unproductive cattle are sold to for non-compliance was found to be Drug Administration, and director
economically weaker farmers for their the large gap between demand and of Tandurust Punjab Mission, who is
personal use or the slaughterhouses supply; the adulterants are mixed leading the campaign against adultera-
by 62.9% dairies — both at low prices to to increase the milk quantity. All tion, confirmed that the milk and milk
earn meager sums of money from the of the 250 samples collected from products in the state were suspected

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