Many people in India consume milk on a daily basis-drinking it directly, adding it to their teas, coffees and desserts, and using it to make paneer, ghee, etc. Milk is widely consumed by children as well as the elderly. The milk we consume must be pure and unadulterated. However, if the milk you are buying is not handled and packaged with proper hygiene and sanitation, it could be adulterated with several potentially harmful substances such as detergents, urea, starch, glucose, etc.
Water Is One Of The Most Common Adulterants In Milk.
Water reduces the nutritional value of milk, and if the water is contaminated, it also poses a health risk to consumers. A 2022 study published in the Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences explains that “adding water to milk decreases the solid part and reduces the foamy look of the milk. Hence the use of detergents gives the foamy milk appearance. Also, adding other adulterants to milk, like urea and hair removal powder, gives the milk an aesthetic white colour. A touch of urea is sufficient to increase the visual sense of milk.”
Recently, the official Instagram account of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) shared a simple test to check if your milk is adulterated with water. The caption of the video read, “Is your milk adulterated with water? Here is how you can check it through a simple test. Eat Safe… Eat Right.”
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How To Check The Purity Of Your Milk, As Directed By FSSAI:
Take a clean glass slide or plate. Slowly pour 1-2 ml of the milk sample vertically on the glass plate or slide. If the drop moves slowly, leaving a white trail, it means the milk is pure. But if the drop flows rapidly without any trail, it means it has been adulterated with water.
Detecting Urea Adulteration In Milk:
In another video on YouTube, FSSAI explains how to detect the adulteration of urea in your milk. Urea ingestion can be harmful to the kidneys and gastrointestinal system. Here is how you can check if your milk is adulterated with urea, as shared by FSSAI:
- Take a teaspoon of milk in a test tube.
- Add half a teaspoon of soybean or arhar dal powder to the test tube.
- Mix the contents thoroughly by shaking the test tube. Wait for five minutes.
- Dip a red litmus paper into the mixture. Wait for half a minute and then remove the red litmus paper.
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The red litmus paper dipped in unadulterated milk does not change colour. The red litmus paper in adulterated milk turns blue.
Follow these steps to check the purity of the milk at home and ensure you buy milk from reliable and authentic sources to prevent any risk of adulteration.
