Independent milk testing lab in State demanded

Following the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) recent survey report revealing that the milk available in the Odisha market is alarmingly adulterated and contaminated and contains detergent, conscious consumers have demanded establishment of an independent milk testing laboratory in the State to check the rate of adulteration in packaged milk.

The FSSAI had conducted the survey on milk adulteration throughout the country to check the contaminants in milk. The report revealed that most of the packaged milk was adulterated and 75 per cent of it contained urea, salt, caustic soda, paint, sugar, detergent, hydrogen-peroxide, glucose, water, starch, skimmed milk powder, etc.

The report stated that packaged milk available in the Odisha market was also alarmingly adulterated and contained detergent and other contaminants.

But it doesn’t appear that the State Government has taken any drastic corrective measures, as a consequence of which adulteration in milk has now increased manifold, consumers point out. 

As per reports, in some instances a lethal chemical like formalin or formal dehyde is now mixed with the milk to enhance its shelf life. This type of adulteration is more in the Puri jurisdiction of the Omfed, it is alleged.

“It needs a thorough investigation to confirm this allegation. Besides the Omfed, there are now two to three private dairy units processing and marketing milk in the State. But to examine any adulteration and regulating a standard in milk, there is no independent testing laboratory. Ironically, each dairy, including the Omfed, tests its milk in its own laboratory.

When allegations are made time and again on rampant adulteration in packaged milk and its harmful effects on health of children, pregnant women and aged persons, why doesn’t the Government take it seriously and set up an independent milk testing laboratory that would operate out of the bounds of these dairies to check contaminants in the milk prepared by them, consumers ask.