Bengaluru: Caution! You better look into the quality of milk being delivered at your doorstep. The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) in Chennai has reported that one of the three randomly picked samples of Nandini Full Cream Milk in Chennai tested positive for a pesticide content.
The report said the presence of Cypermethrin, a pesticide, in the milk was 40% higher than the limit prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India . The samples were sent by Gaurav Maheshwari, Founder, Wisetummy.com – which is an online nutritional start-up. It had earlier tested Maggi and other noodle samples and found them safe.
“I strongly feel that consumers should be informed about their food choices. Cypermethrin is a pyrethoid insecticide. The World Health Organisation classifies it as ‘moderately hazardous’,” Mr Maheshwari said.
“Dairy products should not contain hazardous content even in small quantities. Even if one sample has been tested positive, it is alarming as babies consume milk and its products the most,” said Dr Thuppil Venkatesh, professor emeritus, St John’s Medical College who is also the national chairman, Indian Society for Lead Awareness and Research.
KMF director: Is it our milk?
Ravikumar Kakade, Director (Marketing), Karnataka Milk Federation said, “It is a bolt from the blue for me and we are totally ignorant of this test. Such tests are subjected to a protocol. It should be done in the presence of the manufacturer. Is it even our milk?”
