Milk, its products most adulterated

LAHORE
MILK and milk products remained at the top of the adulterated edibles list in the provincial capital, as 60.3 percent milk samples during the year 2014 while during the first three months of 2015, about 25 percent milk samples failed the hygiene standards tests.
Data circulated by Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Friday revealed that in the year 2014, a total of 4,500 samples were taken, out of which, 2,717 (60.3 percent) failed while during the first three months of the year 2015, a total of 1,641 samples were taken, out of which, 403 (25 percent) were declared adulterated and against the health standards.
This means that majority of citizens are unknowingly drinking highly contaminated and adulterated milk. Director General PFA Dr Nasir Mehmood said there were two types of adulteration in milk. ‘First is water, especially sewer water and second contamination is addition of different chemicals, including formalin, urea, caustic soda in milk. He said the daily demand of loose milk in the provincial capital is around 10 million litre and majority of this comes from outside the city limits. He said this is why the PFA has started checking of milk transporting vehicles at the entry and exit points of the city.
Data showed that PFA checked 941 milk transporting vehicles at the entry points of the city, out of which, 115 samples failed the test while 700 samples were collected from milk shops, out of which, 292 (42 percent) failed the health standards. Data showed that 40,223litre of milk was discarded at the spot while 5,700litre was seized and destroyed later. Other than milk, 30 percent samples of milk products also failed the hygiene test.
Data showed that 74 percent samples of water were declared adulterated. This included both the bottled water as well as the loose filtered water, which is being sold in every locality of the city. Data showed that 60 percent samples of oil and fat were also declared spurious or adulterated.
Other samples, which were declared adulterated, included spices (16 percent), beverages (48 percent), fruits and vegetables (60 percent), cereals (25 percent), baking products (26 percent), sweetening agents (41 percent), food colour (18 percent) and meat (50 percent).
Nutritionists claimed that chemicals like formalin, urea, caustic soda, refined oil especially the used and cheap cooking oil and detergents, which are mixed in the milk to increase its shelf life, were putting very hazardous effects on human health.
A senior official of PFA said sewer water as well as untreated tap water is also mixed in the milk to increase its quantity. He said detergents are added to emulsify and dissolve the oil in water, giving the frothy solution the characteristic white colour of milk. Refined oil is used as a substitute for milk fat. Caustic soda is added to the milk to neutralise the effect of increased acidity, thereby preventing it from turning sour during transport. Urea/sugar is added for levelling the contents of solid-not-fat (SNF) in the natural milk.
DG PFA Dr Nasir Mehmood said the authority would not spare those involved in mixing hazardous chemicals and water in milk. He said food adulteration was a longstanding problem and we had to fight it collectively.
Answering a question, he said PFA teams are checking all milk transporting vehicles entering Lahore through Saggiyan Bridge, Kahna and Qainchi at Ferozpur Road, GT Road, Gulberg, Naseerabad, Samanabad, Thokar and Multan Road. He said the authority was also registering milk shops in the city and so far 2,068 shops were registered.