What is milk adulteration? Why it happens ?

MILK LADY PROJECT: NEWS LETTER VOL02. MAR 2018 - for better understanding of milk in India-

Milk adulteration has been historically and commonly seen not only in India but also in lots of other countries in the world. However, India is probably the worst county that still shows serious problems even in 21st century. Do you really know what milk adulteration is, and why it happens?

Adding something (called adulterant) to fresh-raw milk milked from animal, deteriorating it’s original value and quality”. This is technical meaning of milk adulteration. It usually happens somewhere in market channel between a producer and a consumer. As a nature of intermediaries; “milkmen”, they try to maximize their own profit by milk adulteration.

Water is the most popular adulterant to increase trade volume. Water-diluted milk is, however, easily detected by checking it’s density with using lactometer by consumers. Adding water causes less density of milk. So, milkmen, then, try to cheat lactometer reading, by adding other adulterants such as sugar, starch, etc which increase the density of water-diluted milk.

When a milk price is determined based on the proportion of fat in fresh-law milk ( which is common way of milk cooperatives and milk factories), vegetable oil could be an adulterant. Milkmen also use hydrated lime, detergent, etc. as “neutralizer” to lower acid in milk. They prevent milk from spoiling, and consequently make life of milk longer.

Is adulterated milk unsafe? The answer is Yes and No. Water adulteration is basically safe, as long as the water is well filtered and good in hygiene. However, heavy metals, such as iron, zinc often exist in non-filtered water, and they will adversely affect your health when you take them every day for long time. Similarly, sugar and starch are no problem if they are original as produced. However, nobody knows their qualities when they are added by milkmen. Neutralizers are always harmful, which sometimes give danger to your life.

According to COATA’s field observation, milkmen buy fresh milk with Rs.25~30 /litre in village while they sell it with Rs.30~40/litre to consumers. Considering the costs and losses in transportation, it implies that milkmen can get few margins unless they make adulteration. In fact, COATA found a milkman who bought milk with Rs. 30 in village and sold it with Rs. 28 in market. How is it possible in authentic business!!.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that all milkmen make milk adulteration. Even though, how can you buy milk from a milkman whose name is not known to you? How can you believe a quality of milk which you don’t know how it is delivered?

It is natural for consumers to want to buy something in cheaper price. However, in India, if you want to get milk cheaper, you need to take more dangerous risks to your family health. Good quality, and authentic services require reasonable market price. That is common sense in the world which Indian consumers should not forget.

Milk Lady Project and COATA LLP promise to delivery fresh, non-adulterated milk to you with full transparency and accountability.

For your further information

The following table shows the typical adulterants and their functions.

In the internet, you can find lots of shocking videos to report milk adulteration in India. Some of which are presented in our website. More detail information is also shown the site. Please visit: https://www.coata-llp.com/milk-adulteration-in-india