Guidelines issued to check milk adulteration in A.P.

The Food Safety Department of Andhra Pradesh has decided to distribute pamphlets and booklets on how to spot adulteration in milk, in educational institutions. The move comes after 12 people died after consuming adulterated milk in Rajamahendravaram.

According to a release issued by the Department of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare on Tuesday, Institute of Preventive Medicine Director Neelakantha Reddy has issued a set of guidelines explaining how to detect adulteration in milk. These will be published in the form of pamphlets.

Awareness campaigns in this regard will be undertaken in public places and on social media platforms as well.

Test at home

In the guidelines, Dr. Neelakantha Reddy says adulteration in milk and its byproducts can be identified at home. When placed on a slanted plate, a drop of pure milk flows down, leaving a white streak behind, whereas the milk mixed with water runs down without leaving any white streak.

One should take 10 ml of milk and 10 ml of water in a glass and shake well. If foam forms on the surface, then the milk has been adulterated with urea or detergents.

Sometimes, corn flour or other starch substances are added to milk to increase its thickness. To check, one should take milk in a glass and add two to three drops of iodine solution to it. If the milk turns blue, it indicates adulteration. If the colour does not change, the milk is pure.

How to identify pure ghee

A similiar process can be repeated to check adulteration of ghee with potato, sweet potato, or other starch substances. One should put one spoon of ghee in a small glass bowl and add two to three drops of iodine solution. If the ghee turns blue, it indicates adulteration.

To check if palm oil has been used in ghee, one should take a spoon of ghee, add sugar, and heat it. If the colour of ghee turns pink or red, then it shows that palm oil has been adulterated. To check if ghee is pure, one can add a spoon of ghee to a glass of hot water, and pure ghee will float on the surface.

One can report to the authorities about milk adulteration by dialling toll-free helpline 1800 425 3857 or 08645297245.