For 10 paise, check milk adulteration in seconds

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16

Those trading in adulterated milk and playing with the health of millions, watch out! For, a new technology has arrived to detect the adulteration in milk in just 45 seconds.

The novel technology has been developed by CSIR — Central Electronics, Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI), Plinai, and is based on acquiring electrochemical fingerprint coupled with multivariate data analysis techniques.

Responding to a question relating to adulteration of milk during the Question Hour in Lok Sabha, Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan said: “There are no systems currently available globally based on similar methods.”

Armed with the technique, the government hopes to popularise it in villages and the first milk collection centres of dairies. The system developed from the technology would detect the level of adulteration, and the adulterants in just about 45 seconds of putting milk to test. The recurring cost for testing a sample through this technology is 5-10 paise.

The technology has been transferred to tow industries, namely Rajasthan Electronics and Instruments (REIL), Jaipur (a mini-Ratna PSU) and Alpine Technologies, Surat, for manufacturing and commercialisation.

Vardhan urged MPs to fund installation of the system through MPLAD funds in their areas and launch a movement against adulteration of milk.

He said according to reports, over 68 per cent of milk in the country did not conform to the standards set by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI).

According to the food regulatory authority’s survey in 2011, the most common adulterant was found to be the addition of water. Others include glucose, skimmed milk powder, urea, detergent, refined oil, caustic soda and white paint which are hazardous to human life and could cause serious diseases.