One in seven samples of loose milk failed in Punjab

In the land known for abundance of milk, 13.6 per cent samples of loose milk and 21.4 per cent samples of desi ghee collected by the Punjab Food and Drugs Administration did not conform to the food safety standards in 2023-24.

Data available with The Tribune shows that while none of the samples of packed milk failed the quality test, 88 of the 646 samples of loose milk collected in 2023-24 did not conform to the food safety standards. In the case of khoya — used in sweets — 26 per cent of the samples collected failed the quality test. In the past three years — between 2021 and 2024 — of the 20,988 samples of milk collected from across Punjab, 3,712 failed to conform to the standards.

“We carry out sampling of milk and its products regularly. Frequent meetings are held with food business operators to get a feedback on the quality of milk and its products. At a recent meeting, these operators had said packed milk was of excellent quality. The main problem of adulteration and the product being substandard is in the case of desi ghee. Whenever we get any information of malpractices, we immediately conduct search and seizures,” Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Punjab, Abhinav Trikha said. It is learnt that between 2021 and 2024, the state government has filed 3,200 civil and 300-odd criminal cases against those involved in adulteration.

Farmer's association perspective

Daljit Singh Sadarpura, president of the Progressive Dairy Farmers Association, denies that commercial dairy farmers are indulging in such practices. “In fact, the 10,000-odd commercial dairy farmers use the best technology for milk processing, without any human intervention. But yes, we do not vouch for the loose milk that the milkman supplies. We appeal to people to take only packed milk and its products for their safety,” he said. Among the samples of loose milk that failed the quality test, in some cases, milk was found to be adulterated with water, in others, it was reconstituted using expired skimmed milk powder or adulterated with urea, formalin or starch.

An official source said in milk and desi ghee, maltodextrin was found to have been used, as were tallow oil and other hydrogenated fats as adulterants. Often, cheaper ghee, marketed as puja ghee, is adulterated with hydrogenated fats and refined oils and has just 5-10 per cent desi ghee. During a raid at a ghee factory in Bathinda a few years ago, search teams of the Health Department had reportedly also found a chemical to infuse the smell of desi ghee in the fats they were making and then labelling it with names of popular ghee brands.

Inclusive approach

KS Pannu, who served as the Commissioner, FDA (now retired), and had launched a drive against adulteration of milk and its products, says the menace can be curbed only when the government involves dairy farmers, food operators, retailers and consumers in the identification process and then taking strict action against those involved in adulteration.

Officials also speak of adulterated and substandard paneer reaching the state from other states. They say it is difficult to identify adulterated paneer, but consumers should try comparing prices.