BENGALURU: Milk available in Bengaluru is a 100 per cent adulterant-free! Surprised to hear that? So is the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the country’s apex food quality regulator.
After 52 milk samples collected from the city (from organised and unorganised sector) in December 2016 tested negative for any adulterants, the FSSAI has given stricter instructions for sample collection this time, for the National Milk Quality Survey to be held in June-July again.
The survey was conducted in September last year by FSSAI in more than 120 cities across the country. Over 1,700 samples were picked up and tested for fat, solids-non-fat (protein, carbohydrate, minerals), 13 common adulterants like vegetable oil, detergent, hydrogen peroxide, formalin, sugar, glucose, urea, starch, boric acid, ammonium sulphate, nitrates, and cellulose maltodextrine.
In Karnataka, samples from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mangaluru, Kalaburagi and Belagavi were tested. Samples from Mangaluru and Kalaburagi too tested negative.
State FSSAI deputy commissioner Harshvardhan B said, “We have at least five to six lakh litres loose milk being sold to tea vendors in the city from other states. How can Bengaluru not have any adulterated milk then?”
While 35 milk samples were collected from organised sector in the city, 17 were collected from unorganised sector. All samples were found to meet the prescribed standards. In all, 93 samples were collected from the state. Six samples did not meet standards but were safe and seven milk samples were unsafe.