The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) announced plans to conduct nationwide surveillance of milk and milk products in an effort to combat adulteration.
This extensive surveillance will involve collecting samples from both the organized and unorganized sectors in all districts across the country. According to an English news daily, the samples will include products like paneer, butter, ghee, curd, khoa, chenna, and ice cream.
The objective is to ensure compliance with quality and safety standards and to identify areas where adulteration is prevalent thereby allowing appropriate corrective actions.
Milk was chosen as the focus due to its significant role in Indian food culture, being consumed as a fresh fluid or in processed dairy products. Milk provides essential micronutrients and macronutrients, making it a staple in the diets of people of all age groups.
The changing lifestyle patterns and increasing health consciousness among consumers have also contributed to the growing demand for milk and high-value milk products in India.
The survey will evaluate the samples for quality and safety standards compliance. Additionally, it will locate areas where milk and milk products are most likely to be adulterated and provide solutions for them.
Since 2011, FSSAI has conducted five surveys on milk and milk products. The National Milk Safety and Quality Survey 2018 collected 6,432 samples from organized and unorganized sectors in 1,103 towns/cities. The Pan-India Milk Products Survey 2020 gathered 2,801 samples from 542 districts, assessing the safety and quality of various milk products and desserts.
In 2022, FSSAI conducted a milk survey across 12 states, out of which 10 states reported cases of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), while the remaining two states served as control.
The survey aimed to evaluate the safety of milk by analyzing the presence of antibiotics, pesticide residues, and heavy metals in the collected samples. The survey findings concluded that the milk available in the selected 12 states is primarily safe for consumption.
