Beware! You may be consuming toxins like urea, formalin in milk

Beware while consuming milk as it can have toxins like urea, formalin, paint and detergents that give a false impression of the higher fat content but have adverse effects on health and in the long run can even lead to diseases like cancer and kidney damage, say health experts here while welcoming the Supreme Court's recent decision on life sentence for milk adulteration.

Beware while consuming milk as it can have toxins like urea, formalin, paint and detergents that give a false impression of the higher fat content but have adverse effects on health and in the long run can even lead to diseases like cancer and kidney damage, say health experts here while welcoming the Supreme Court's recent decision on life sentence for milk adulteration.

HT Image

According to information, the health department seized 280 samples of milk and milk products this year and out of them 65 failed the test.

District health officer Dr Harsh Malhotra said, "Milk adulteration has been on the increase and people are investing newer and newer ways and chemicals to adulterate milk. Urea is among the most commonly used adulterant, it increases the fat content, but depending upon the level of its toxicity it can lead to gastrointestinal, digestive and even nephrological disorders."

Dr Malhotra further said spurious milk and milk products could be divided in three categories -- unsafe, adulterated and unfit for human consumption, depending on the type and amount of synthetics mixed.

He added that to check adulteration at home, people could possess an electrometer which determines the fat level, or they can get milking done under their own supervision or purchase milk from standardised manufacturers.

Health department authorities said that unscrupulous milkmen and dairies were adulterating milk with chemicals including hydrogen peroxide and even expired milk powder, along with water and edible oils.

Assistant professor of paediatrics at Government Medical College Dr Harjinder Singh said that milk adulteration could cause deformities in children. If milk is highly adulterated, development of the infant's brain, kidney, liver and bones would be adversely affected.

Minimum percentage of milk and milk solids not fat required to check purity of milk in Punjab:
% milk fat % milk solids not fat

Buffalo milk 6.0 9.0
Cow's milk 4.0 8.5
Mixed milk 4.5 8.5
Standardised milk 4.5 8.5
Recombined milk 3.0 8.5
Toned milk 3.0 8.5
Double toned milk 1.5 9.0
Skimmed milk Not more than 0.5 8.7
Full cream milk 6.0 9.0

Common chemicals used for adulteration of milk:

Urea: It is added in synthetic milk to raise fat content. It damages intestinal tract and digestive system.
Detergents: They increase fat value and mask adulteration with matter, they damage intestinal tract and digestive system.
Formalin: Formalin 40% increases shell life of the milk. It causes organ dysfunction and damages intestinal tract and digestive system.
Starch: Flour from wheat, rice and corn is a common starch adulterant, it increases the fat content. However, it reduces the nutritive value.
Sugar: It is mixed to increase lactometer reading to mask dilution with water. If water is bad, chances of an epidemic disease are high.
Salt: It is added to mask lactometer reading when milk is adulterated with water. It reduces nutritive value.
Other adulterants: These include bone dust, hydrogen peroxide, animal fats and harmful preservatives.