Milk Adulterant test

Milk is produced through out the year. However, milk production is extensively reduced during summer months due to heat stress, scarcity of fodder etc. Milk is transported from point of production to cities mainly through middle man called dodhies. Such milk is watered to increase volume. Milk is perishable item so during summer months the milk is likely to be spoiled during transportation. The middle man therefore add ice blocks, and chemical preservatives such as penicillin, strepto-penicillin, urea, formaldehyde, sodium bi-carbonate, starch, flour, surf, sodium hydroxide, vegetable oil, cane sugar, etc. These preservatives or adulterants are health hazards for end consumer particularly vulnerable group such as infants.

Keeping in view the health hazard of adulterated milk, Toxicology Section, QOL, UVAS, has submitted a research grant to Higher Education Commission (HEC) to monitor the adulterants, mycotoxins and hygienic status of market milk. The HEC has approved the project and funding is awaited. Toxicology Section, QOL, UVAS developed the techniques to test 12 different adulterants in the laboratory and a field kit namely MAT (Milk Adulterants Tests such as urea, formalin, sodium bi-carbonate, soaps, cane sugar, gelatin, hydrogen peroxide etc.). Using this kit, milk consumers can screen adulterants in milk rapidly.