Is that milk you are drinking?

On Sunday, trucks carrying over 10,000 litres of adulterated milk being shipped from Tamil Nadu were seized. Which brings us to the basic question: Are you drinking ‘milk’? How wholesome is your glass of milk? On an average, an Indian family uses two litres of milk daily. But how does one test milk for adulteration?

Some simple tests can reveal the purity of milk being supplied to your household. Dr Balasubramanyam, principal scientist and dairy technologist at National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), said: “Most commonly, milk is adulterated with soda and water. In rare cases, they add antibiotics to increase its shelf life. But that cannot be tested unless they have special kits.”

“There are three tests that one can do at home. The first one is called Rosalic test. Make a solution with water and rosalic acid at home. To a spoon full of milk, add a drop of this solution, the milk will turn brick red. This shows that soda has been added to milk,” he said.

The second is lactometer test. “This is the most common test, which shows water adulteration. A lactometer is available for `50 in most chemical stores. Add this to milk. If the milk shows a rating below 26, that means water has been added to it,” he added. The third is called resorcinol test. “A spoon-full of milk is added to a drop of this chemical and if the milk turns yellow, it means it is safe for consumption. If it turns red, that means it is adulterated with sugar,” he explained.