Punjab's Problems with Milk Quality
Punjab has serious problems concerning milk quality. As per the latest figures available from the Punjab Food and Drugs Administration, there are problem areas both with loose milk and desi ghee. Reports say 13.6 % of the loose milk samples and 21.4 % of the desi ghee samples collected in 2023-24 were not found to be safe for consumption.
The Punjab FDA has remarked that while all samples of packed milk passed quality tests, 88 out of 646 samples of loose milk failed. If that is an alarming situation, the scenario regarding khoya-a key ingredient in many sweets-can well be termed grave, with 26% of samples failing the quality test. During the past three years, from 2021 to 2024, as many as 3,712 out of 20,988 milk samples collected in Punjab did not conform to standards.
Government actions and responses
Based on these issues of quality, the Punjab FDA has been regularly conducting sampling of milk and its products. Regular meetings with food business operators have come out with the fact that generally, packed milk is good, but FDA has found some major problems with kachchi milk and desi ghee on the basis of adulteration.
The issue of adulteration is multidimensional. For one thing, loose milk has been found to be adulterated by the addition of water to dilute it, reconstitution using expired skimmed milk powder, or the addition of substances such as urea, formalin, or starch. Similarly, in the case of desi ghee, it has been compromised with a great deal cheaper adulterants like maltodextrin and hydrogenated fats to give it a character smell of ghee.
The state government has filed as many as 3,200 civil cases and 300 criminal cases against adulterators in the period from 2021 to 2024. This legal action shows that the government is serious about the issue, while stopping these practices altogether remains a challenge.
Views of the Dairy Farmers and Experts
Commercial dairy farmers in Punjab are committed to high standards of quality,” says Daljit Singh Sadarpura, president, Progressive Dairy Farmers Association. “Our 10,000-odd commercial dairy farmers use the best technology for milk processing, and we do not vouch for loose milk supplied by milkmen.” Sadarpura suggests that consumers use packed milk and its products to ensure safety.
KS Pannu, former Commissioner, FDA, who led anti-adulteration drives, favors an inclusive approach to fight the adulteration of milk and its products. “Involvement of dairy farmers, food operators, retailers, and consumers are very important,” Pannu said. “Strict actions against those involved in malpractices are necessary to comprehensively combat this issue.”
Consumer Recommendations
For consumers who want some precautions that will help them tide over the present quality scenario in dairy products, here are some recommendations:
- PREFER PACKED MILK AND ITS PRODUCTS: Packed milk and its products are preferred. Such milk may have better quality and safety, as compared to loose milk.
- BE WARY OF LOOSE MILK: The milk sourced from uneven sources in the form of loose is likely to be adulterated. Such products must be suspected by the consumers.
Price Comparisons, Label Inspection: Be very aware of price differences and always check the labels for adulteration. Most of the time, the adulterated items are sold at cheaper prices or misleading labels.
Conclusion
Quality issues of adulteration and substandard products in the Punjab dairy industry raise very serious consumer safety concerns. Both states deal with rather complicated issues related to food safety and quality; indeed, there is considerable protection needed, along with consumer vigilance, for such food items to meet high standards.
Reference – the Indian express