Over 65% milk samples in India adulterated, says report; this is how it affects your body
Shocking
A new report says that over 65% of milk available in the Indian market is adulterated.
Nearly 68.7 per cent of milk and milk products sold in India are not as per the standards laid down by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), said a member of the Animal Welfare Board, while speakin to The Times of India.
Quoting a report by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the report added that 89.2 per cent of such products are adulterated in one form or the other.
Last month, the Maharashtra Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) department raided two milk selling places after getting a tip of milk adulteration in Santacruz East.
The inspection was done on September 26 by the food inspectors.
During the inspection, the FDA authority got milk packets of branded companies like Amul, Mahananda, Govardhan which were found adulterated. According to the officials, the milk packets were found tampered with. Good quality milk from the packet was thrown away and adulterated milk was filled in the branded milk packets.
While most adulterants in India include caustic soda, detergent, glucose, regined oil and white paint. That's right, white paint! Be careful about what you drink
Detergent and other contaminants like urea, starch, glucose and formalin are also used as adulterants as they provide thickness and preserve the milk for longer periods
The World Health Organisation (WHO) had recently issued an advisory to the Government of India stating that if adulteration of milk and milk products is not checked immediately, 87 per cent of citizens would be suffering from serious diseases like cancer by the year 2025.
Adulteration is more common in north India. The the ‘National Survey on Milk Adulteration’ had conducted a survey few years back and found out that due to lack of hygiene and sanitation in handling and packaging, detergents used in washing containers and other surfaces find their way into milk and its products.