41% milk samples of poor quality, 7% samples unfit to consume: survey
STAFF REPORTER / WEB DESK
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has intensified surveillance to curb adulteration during the festive season.
Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI Pawan Agarwal said that the regulator has released a guidance note on traditional milk products to help food business operators to ensure basic hygiene in milk products.
He said that the FSSAI has collected samples from various locations and sent them for testing.
Meanwhile FSSAI conducted a survey, collecting 6,432 milk samples from across the country, and found that only 12 of them were adulterated and unsafe for human consumption.
The FSSAI, on Friday, released a detailed report based on the ‘National Milk Safety and Quality Survey 2018’—the first survey on such a huge scale. It was conducted by an independent agency from May to October 2018, covering all the states and union territories with the objective of monitoring safety and quality of liquid milk available in the country.
“The survey dispels the widespread perception that liquid milk in the country is largely adulterated” said FSSAI.
One of the highlights of the survey was that it found the presence of Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) residues in milk. AFM1, which gets into milk through cattle feed and food, is regulated in India. As many as 368 of the total samples—or 5.7 per cent—had residues of AFM1 beyond permissible limits. The samples were from Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Kerala. The FSSAI pointed out that this is “more dominant in processed milk rather than raw milk”.
Of the dozen samples that were adulterated beyond consumption level, six had hydrogen peroxide, three had detergents, two had urea and one had neutralizer. Nitrates and boric acid, also counted among milk adulterants, were not found in any of the samples.
Although negligible in terms of percentage—1.2 per cent—77 samples from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh had residues of antibiotics above the permissible level. One raw milk sample from Kerala had pesticide above the permissible level.
“This is the first time that a quantitative analysis of all samples that failed on account of adulterants and contaminants has been done. It is found that the level of adulterants and contaminants in failed samples is not high, therefore unlikely to pose serious threat to human health. FSSAI is, however, committed to zero tolerance for any adulteration and contamination of milk. The survey has helped in identification of hotspots, so that more intensified efforts for surveillance and enforcement could be taken up in such areas.”
Meanwhile Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has said that about 7 per cent of the samples tested under the National Milk Safety and Quality Survey 2018 were found to have safety issues largely due to presence of contaminants such as Aflatoxin-M1, pesticides and antibiotics.
It added that nearly 93 per cent of the milk samples tested were found to be safe for consumption.
This is the first-of-its kind comprehensive survey FSSAI has conducted through a third-party agency. The survey was conducted from May 2018 to October 2018 covering all states and UTs. The regulator believes that the outcome of the survey will help dispel misinformation and myths regarding safety of liquid milk in the country.