Is packaged milk safe?

Any mother would be shocked if she is urged to mix washing soda (sodium hydroxide) in her child’s morning glass of milk. But according to health experts, that is exactly what most moms are doing in the city unknowingly. Washing soda is one of the most common adulterants in milk sold in Hyderabad.

Sonia Kumar, a resident who buys three litres of Jersey milk daily was shocked when she found a “thick curd like fluid” floating in it. “At first I thought the milk was curdling. But when I boiled some part of the milk, it was fine. Then I realised that milk was mixed with something that had settled down. My kids drink this milk, and I’m concerned about the effect it could have on their health.”

Similar complaints from other consumers prompted the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to conduct raids at various places across the city to detect adulteration of milk, says Alim Basha, additional commissioner (health and sanitation department). So far the health department of the GHMC has conducted 12 raids in Old City and Secunderabad and the samples of the milk have been sent to the Institute of Preventive Medicine (IPM). “Because of the ongoing Ramzan and Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, the consumption of milk is quite high. It is possible that some suppliers are using adulterants to make profits. We are yet to receive the results for the samples we have sent to IPM. If it is proven that the milk was indeed adulterated, then the offenders will be prosecuted. Also we shall shut down the establishment from where these samples were found. We plan to conduct more such raids.”
Shailaja Devi, chief public analyst of the State Food Lab points out, “Some common adulterants of milk are urea, bicarbonates, starch and detergents. Often milk is diluted, which is why it looks watery with a thick creamy layer on top. This could also happen because the density of the fat is higher.” But Padmini Arun, a housewife, insists that there’s “nothing natural about this frothing cream”.
“We prefer keeping the fat content low in the milk, which is why we switched to toned milk. But these days it is so thick that I have to scoop out a large amount of the fat after boiling. This fat doesn’t even look like the regular malai. I have no clue why this is happening or how to check the quality.”
While the IPM is yet to disclose the adulterants found in the milk available in the city under various brand names, the director, Dr Sucharita Murthy, admits that the milk we get at homes is very diluted. And if the milk you consume is indeed adulterated, it’s unfit for consumption. “If you do find a layer of fat that seems unnatural or find sediments that look like adulterants, you should take the samples to the State Food Lab in Nacharam for testing. It costs Rs 250.”