68 p.c. of milk sample adulterated: Ministry

A ‘snap shot survey’ conducted across country reveals it

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has admitted that 68.40 per cent of the milk samples collected during a ‘snap shot survey’ conducted across the country last year did not conform to the Food Safety and Standards Regulation 2011.
This shocking information came to light through a written reply given on December 11 to a question raised by Rajya Sabha MP S. Thangavelu, who is from Sankarankovil in the district.
The reply given by Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare stated that the National Survey on Milk Adulteration 2011 conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to ascertain the quality of milk and identify different types of adulteration has shown that 68.40 percent samples did not conform to the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.
As per the gazette notification issued by the FSSAI, functioning under Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, milk is a mammary secretion derived from milking of healthy milch animal without either addition thereto or extraction unless otherwise provided in these Regulations.
It shall be free from colostrum.
The notification also prohibits the sale of certain admixtures. No person shall either by himself or by any servant or agent sell cream which has not been prepared exclusively from milk or which contains less than 25 per cent of milk fat; milk which contains any added water; ghee which contains any added matter not exclusively derived from milk fat; skimmed milk (fat abstracted) as milk; curd not prepared from boiled, pasteurised or sterilized milk.
Condensed milk sweetened, condensed skimmed milk sweetened, milk powder, skimmed milk powder, partly skimmed milk powder and partly skimmed sweetened condensed milk shall not be sold except under Indian Standards Institution Certification Mark.
Against this backdrop, the appalling admission by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the serious issue of milk adulteration has triggered shock waves.
Control mechanism
As a measure to control this menace, Commissioners of Food Safety in States and Union Territories have been empowered and mandated to take remedial measures under Food Safety and Standard Act and Rules and Regulations. FSSAI has already issued advisory to Food Safety Commissioners across the country to maintain the stipulated standards of milk. They have also been advised to take appropriate measures under the Food Safety and Standard Act and Rules and Regulations, the reply has said.