Food Safety Officials Launch Awareness Drive on Milk Adulteration
He said people could identify adulteration with urea or detergent by taking 10 ml of milk in a glass, adding 10 ml of water and stirring it.
Vijayawada: State food safety authorities have launched an awareness drive to help people identify adulteration in milk and milk products across Andhra Pradesh.
AP food safety (Institute of Preventive Medicine) director Neelakanta Reddy, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said pamphlets and booklets would be distributed in educational institutions and public places. Awareness will also be created through social media on simple methods to detect adulteration in milk and its products.
He said people could identify adulteration with urea or detergent by taking 10 ml of milk in a glass, adding 10 ml of water and stirring it. If froth forms on the surface, the milk is likely to be adulterated; if no froth forms, it indicates that the milk is not adulterated.
To detect the presence of maize flour or other starchy substances used to increase thickness, people can add two or three drops of iodine to a sample of milk in a glass. If the milk turns blue, it indicates adulteration.
Similarly, adulteration in ghee with potato or sweet potato can be detected by taking a spoonful of ghee in a glass bowl and adding two or three drops of iodine solution. If the colour changes to blue, the ghee is considered adulterated.
The food safety authorities have advised the public to report cases of adulteration by calling the toll-free number 18004253857 or the IPM head office at 08645-297245 so that necessary action can be taken.