A whopping 79% of loose milk packets available in the market across the state is adulterated and of a low standard, the latest annual report by the Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI) has stated.
The CGSI report revealed in 2019, milk adulteration was 5% more in comparison to adulteration in 2018.
According to the CGSI, a non-profit consumer organisation, 413 samples of milk packets were tested for fat and solids-not-fat (SNF) contents from January to December 2019. Only 87 milk samples (21%) complied with the standard specifications set by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI).
The report stated of all the samples, 73 were branded milk packets and only 11 (15%) adhered to the standard mark. The remaining 85% of the branded milk currently sold in the market was adulterated.
Elaborating on the findings of the survey, Dr Sitaram Dixit, chairman of CGSI, said: “Milk forms an essential portion for all concerned and it needs to comply with the FSSAI standards. As compared to the research for 2018, the adulteration/contamination has increased by 5% this year.”
The report said of the 340 tested non-branded or loose milk packets, 76 samples, which made up to 22%, were standardised, while the remaining 264 packets (78%) were adulterated.
The high rate of adulteration of milk continues despite it being made a non-bailable offence in Maharashtra said, Dixit. Over the last 5 months alone, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch busted several milk adulteration rackets operating in the city.
Meanwhile, the CGSI offers free milk testing services to all consumers, who can approach them either at their office directly or if more than 50 samples can be tested at one go, volunteers from the society can come to the doorstep of the consumer and conduct all the tests in front of the consumers.
