Out of the total 413 samples, 73 samples were branded ones and 340 were loose unbranded samples. Only 87 samples of the total comply with FSSAI standard specifications which come up to 21%.
Some 70.99 per cent of loose milk packets in Maharashtra do not comply with FSSAI standard specifications, according to a recent research and analysis conducted by Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI). A total of 413 samples were tested by CGSI over a period of January to December 2019.
Milk adulteration has been made a non-bailable offence in the state of Maharashtra, in spite of that a huge percentage of milk samples tested were found to be below the minimum standards set up by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). In short, they were adulterated, according to a press release issued by CGSI recently.
Out of the total samples, 73 samples were branded ones and 340 were loose unbranded samples. Only 87 samples of the total comply with FSSAI standard specifications which come upto 21%. Amongst the branded milk samples also only 15 per cent are FSSAI standard specified, the rest of the lot does not specify to the standards and amongst the loose unbranded samples only 22% comply with FSSAI standard specifications.
Commenting on the research, Dr Sitaram Dixit, chairman, CGSI, stated, “Milk forms an essential portion for all concerned and it needs to be complying with FSSAI standards. According to the research conducted last year, the contamination has increased by 5 per centaccording to CGSI.”
To curb the nuisance of rampant milk adulteration, the Government of Maharashtra had made adulteration of milk a non-bailable offence, but this does not seem to have had any effect on the adulterators and the traders.
