New norms to check bacteria presence in milk

AHMEDABAD: The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has made it mandatory for the food and drugs department of every state to test for harmful bacteria like e coli in milk this year. This apart, the milk producers too will have to test for bacterial content like staphaureus and listeria monocytogenes before pushing it into the market. The new set of standards was first introduced across the nation in August 2011. The producers will have to declare on their packets that the milk is certified e coli, staphaureus and listeria monocytogenes free. The FSSAI has laid down standards for 10 types of milk that include buffalo, cow, goat or sheep, mixed, standardized, re-combined, toned, double-toned, skimmed and full-cream milk.

The food and drugs department of the state will be responsible for monitoring of the milk samples for bacteria content. FSSAI will also check randomly for bacteria content once in a while.

Gujarat's food and drugs commissioner H G Koshia told TOI, that nearly 45 designated officers and several food inspectors have been trained in checking milk and other food samples for contamination. "The FSSAI had provided us manual for food inspectors. We would be one of the first states to comply with new standards. The inspection of bacterial content in milk is also a concern in areas which are supplied loose milk as presence of microorganisms says a lot about milk processing and handling," says Koshia.

Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation managing director R S Sodhi said, "We have been checking bacteria content at our dairies, which is a routine activity."

White revolution diluted

Does the milk delivered at your doorstep meet the set quality standards and has enough nutritional value? Apparently, not in Gujarat. In one of the most comprehensive surveys across the country on packed and loose milk, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) found 89 per cent of Gujarat's milk samples not conforming to standards.

Another lesser known fact was that the highest number of non-conforming milk samples that were collected from urban areas in India was from Gujarat cities. For instance in Gujarat, 75 of the 89 milk samples that were collected from cities were found lacking the desired Solid Not Fat (SNF) and fat content as mentioned on the cover. This was due to dilution of milk with water.

Higher the SNF, better the quality of milk, food and drugs department officials say. Interestingly, none of the packed and loose milk samples collected from rural areas were seen deviating from standards according to the FSSAI. Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP), generally used to increase volume of milk in lean season, was also noticed in a few samples in the state.

SNF is one of the most essential components of milk that consists of vitamins , minerals and nutritional components. The price of the milk is based on its SNF and fat contents. "We have intensified our vigil on the milk being sold in different regions. This is our first priority now. FSSAI had found dilution of milk to be a problem for Gujarat but found no harmful substances in milk being sold here unlike others states. Packaged milk is the safest by all standards," said state's food and drugs commissioner H G Koshia.

Managing director for Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) R S Sodhi said, "We have four levels of quality checks, one at the producer level in villages, then at the district units level, before processing milk at our dairies and after packaging of milk. Besides this there is individual dairy quality control and one belonging to GCMMF. It is at the smaller markets, one sees people breaking milk packets and selling them loose after adding water . But as far as packaged milk is concerned , we meet all standards."

FSSAI had refrained from using the word contaminated in its report but had warned Gujarat dairies that in the interest of customers, both packed and loose milk should meet the standards. FSSAI has warned people buying loose milk about the use of adulterants which could be neutralizers, hydrogen peroxide, sugar, starch, urea, salt, detergent , formalin and vegetable salt.