“White Revolution” is a term coined way back in the 1970s to commemorate the idea of revolutionising milk production in India to make the country self-sustainable in quality food and complete diet. It is a quest that India embarked upon and now, the country is the global leader in milk production and consumption.

However, one of the issues that still challenge the revolution is milk adulteration and subsequent health manifestations. The problem is serious to the extent that the World Health Organisation gave the Indian Government an advisory warning, stating that without adequate tracking of milk adulteration, 87 per cent of citizens could be at risk of developing serious diseases, such as cancer, by 2025.

Supreme Court’s advice 

Dairy, historically, plays a significant part in Indian cuisines, society, religions, culture and rural economy. Right from the Vedic period till today, milk has always been regarded as the “most complete food” with healing properties for bones, mental illness and sleeplessness. However, the quality is a serious concern for the health and human resource of India, especially as milk is an important ingredient for many dishes across the country.

The seriousness of the problem can be comprehended from the fact that the Supreme Court has advised States to amend their laws to make the production and marketing of adulterated milk an offence punishable with life imprisonment. At present, the offenders are punished for a maximum of six months under the Food Safety and Standards Act. Still 79 per cent of branded or loose milk available in the market is adulterated, the latest annual report by the Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI) has found.

False impression

And the milk can be containing anything — right from toxins like urea, formalin, paint and detergents that give a false impression of the higher fat content to water and similar ingredients that increases the volume. Not only the consumers are short-changed because of these unscrupulous practices, the farmers and producers of milk also suffer heavy losses, as the volumes and supplies in the market increase without actual off-take of the product. Very recently, Maharashtra has taken stringent steps to step up investigation and curb the problem.

Quality control

Adulteration of packaged milk can happen when wt is handled without proper mechanisation, and in the case of loose milk, it is always open to mishandling.

The problem with milk adulteration persists because of the nature of the product as it is collected and packaged in open, with mostly minimal mechanisation, and harvested in mini and micro amounts. While the co-operative story has been widely successful in accumulating milk and creating distribution channels, it is pertinent that they will need to lead the way for quality control also.

The only way milk adulteration can be controlled and stopped is through surprise checks by officials and exemplary punishment. Available home check kits which retail customers can use will be a very important step forward.

Awareness of adulteration and affordable quality checking kits to fight milk adulteration at the grassroots level coupled with the government’s willingness to weed out the problem should lead to a cleaner White Revolution 2.0.

(The author is Founder, Sid’s Farm Private Limited)

Published on February 19, 2022