The Punjab government imposed penalties amounting to Rs 3.04 crore in 2,191 food adulteration cases between January 2019 and December 2024, most involving milk and dairy products.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at nine locations in Madhya Pradesh linked to a private firm engaged in producing and distributing adulterated milk products domestically and internationally using forged lab certificates in January this year.

An adulterated milk manufacturing unit was busted in Odisha’s Cuttack district in September this year. Chemicals, salt, and powders, which were allegedly used to make adulterated milk, were seized from the spot, along with a tanker and a van.

The Food Safety team busted large quantities of fake paneer and adulterated milk in multiple food safety raids across Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand in July-August this year.

Investigation in Rajasthan uncovered a shocking truth in February this year: 97% of milk samples in the state are adulterated, with water being the primary contaminant. The Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF) launched a campaign to raise awareness and offer free tests to the public until February 17, ensuring the community is informed about the dangers of consuming adulterated milk.

What is Milk adulteration?

Milk and paneer are two of India’s most widely consumed dairy products. While both foods are known for their health benefits, certain people involved in the production, transport and sale of these products resort to illegal adulteration, which may help them save costs but is detrimental to the health and well-being of the consumers.

Milk, known for being rich in calcium and essential nutrients, is an integral part of a balanced diet. However, milk adulteration, especially with harmful substances like water and chemicals, has become a serious issue not just in Rajasthan, but across the entire country. According to the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation’s campaign, out of 7,299 samples tested, 3,475 were found to be adulterated with water. In total, 48.24% of the samples contained water, while 1.41% contained chemical adulterants like detergents and starch.

Milk adulteration is the process of adding inferior substances to degrade the quality of the milk. Common adulterants include water, detergents, starch, synthetic milk, and even harmful chemicals like formalin and colouring agents.

Adulterating milk allows sellers to increase their profit margins by reducing the quantity of real milk, though it comes at a serious cost to public health, as adulterated milk lacks essential nutrients and can cause health issues.

What are the harmful effects of adulterated milk on our health?

Adulterated milk can cause various harmful effects, including digestive problems, organ damage (from toxic chemicals like formalin and urea), cancer (due to carcinogens like dioxane), and nutritional deficiencies (as adulterants reduce essential nutrients). It can also lead to hormonal imbalances, compromised immunity, and issues like diarrhoea, nausea, and kidney failure.

Adulterants like starch can cause digestive problems, while detergents can lead to food poisoning, nausea, diarrhoea, and gastroenteritis. The presence of harmful contaminants can lead to acute food poisoning.  Chemicals like dioxane, sometimes found in detergents used for adulteration, are carcinogenic. Toxic substances such as urea and formalin can lead to kidney and liver damage, with high urea concentrations potentially causing renal failure. Hormones like oxytocin, sometimes used to increase milk production, can disrupt the hormonal balance in the body.

Some adulterants may lead to neurological issues, including headaches and memory loss. Consuming adulterated milk can weaken the immune system, making you more vulnerable to infections. Adulteration reduces the nutritional value of milk, meaning you miss out on essential nutrients like calcium and protein. It can raise the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women and may lead to maternal haemorrhage or birth abnormalities. Fake milk may contain allergenic substances that can trigger reactions.

How to Check the Purity of Milk at Home?

You can check milk purity at home using several simple tests, including the starch test (adding iodine), the detergent test (shaking with water), the urea test (adding soybean powder and litmus paper), and the flow test (dropping milk on a surface). These methods help identify common adulterants like starch, detergent, and water, based on how the milk reacts visually.

Starch test: Add a few drops of iodine tincture to a cooled sample of milk (you can boil a small amount with water first). If the milk turns blue, it contains starch. Pure milk will not change colour or will turn slightly yellowish.

Detergent test: Mix equal parts milk and water in a transparent glass and shake it well. If a persistent lather or froth forms, it indicates the presence of detergent. Pure milk will have no or very little froth.

Urea test: In a test tube, add milk and an equal amount of soybean or arhar (pigeon pea) powder. Shake well and let it sit for 5 minutes. Dip a red litmus paper into the mixture. If the red litmus paper turns blue, the milk is adulterated with urea. Pure milk will not change the color of the litmus paper.

Flow test: Place a drop of milk on a smooth, slanting surface and observe how it flows. Pure milk will slide down slowly and leave a white trail behind. Milk adulterated with water will flow quickly and leave no mark.

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