Four reasons why milk can't go the Maggi way

The Maggi brouhaha hasn't died yet, and now dairy, one of the most trusted industries in the country too seems to be coming under a cloud. On June 16, UP FDA declared that they found detergent in one of the samples of Mother Dairy's milk packets they had picked up from the company's collection centres in Bah way back in November 2014, and then tested in two centers: Lucknow and later in Kolkata.

Mother Dairy, however is categorically denying any adulteration of milk it supplies in pouches and says that these milk samples were collected even before they reached their chilling centre (where all the requisite tests are done), so cannot be attributed to the brand.

Basically what we are seeing is a beginning of another food-brand/bureaucrat-politics war…

It's early days yet, and more claims and counter claims will follow, along with media frenzy and the inevitable mud slinging, or maybe detergent squirting in this case before a verdict is passed about it being a "story" or a "non-story". Whichever way it eventually goes, milk is too important to be left to chance, so here are some facts I'd like to point out:

It's real!

The real story is that adulteration in milk is a known and an established fact, at least in the milk bought loose (that is directly from the vendors) - and so, it pays to be aware about it. Things actually are really bad. A snap shot survey conducted in 2011 (The National Survey on Milk Adulteration, 2011) by FSSAI had revealed that a whooping "70 per cent" milk samples collected across the country did not conform to set standards. They had also found about eight per cent samples contaminated with detergents, and detected other scarier contaminants like urea, starch, glucose and formalin in abundance too. Two interesting findings were that samples collected from rural areas fared better (only 30 per cent were non-compliant) as compared to urban centres, and samples from Goa and Puducherry were 100 per cent compliant. Hmm…

Not good enough!

Water is, by far, the most common contaminant (46 per cent samples were found to be diluted). But before you say "thank god, it's just water" read further. A lot of families rely on milk for scoring enough protein and calcium for their children (and even for adults), so with added water basically that glass of milk is not really a "glass full", and its calories, protein and calcium (all the goodness) are all lower than what you think you are gulping every day as a morning ritual. Secondly, if the water is contaminated, then gastro problems are just a beginning, and other serious long term problems will only follow in good time. Yes, you could even be taking in lead (and other serious contaminants like heavy metals and pesticides etc) through that ubiquitous glass of white goodness.

There's more!

Detergents can land in milk due to lack of hygiene and sanitation during handling, transport and packaging (detergents used during cleaning operations may not be washed properly and find their way into the milk). Often though adulterants like detergents, salt, vegetable fat and glucose are added deliberately to increase the thickness and viscosity of the milk, while starch (rice flour, wheat flour, arrowroot powder), is added to prevent curdling of milk, and sugar to increase the solids (not fat) content of milk (that is to increase the lactometer reading of milk, which has already been diluted with water). Some seriously dangerous chemicals like formalin (the survey had found multiple samples adulterated with it) are often added as they can preserve milk for a long time.

Scary!

These adulterants are all hazardous and cause irreversible damage to the organs. Detergents in milk can cause food poisoning and gastrointestinal complications. And other synthetic compounds in the long run can cause organ impairments, heart problems, raise our blood pressure, and some of these are thought to be carcinogenic too.The health impact of drinking milk adulterated with these chemicals is worse for children as it can harm the delicate mucosa of their food pipes. So, no, the adulteration of milk cannot be taken very lightly. Particularly because it is not something that you can just ask people to stop drinking (unlike some packaged foods), for the simple fact that there's no alternative! Is there?

Well, that's why (and also because of convenience - hell, that word again!) most people switch to brands, considering them safer, and better for the health of their family, but now suddenly it seems that this switching might just not be insurance enough… So what's one to do?

Well, the jury is out now… let's wait and watch. But whatever you do, don't get scared and just give up on milk. The food is too important to be dropped off the menu just like that.

Read next post to know how to derive the most out of your milk.