Food Safety Dept gears up to check milk adulteration

Charu Chhibber

Chandigarh, April 5

To tighten the noose around dairy farmers and vendors indulging in the adulteration of milk, the Department of Food Safety and Standards, Chandigarh, is all set to start the surveillance of the milk samples sent to Chandigarh from the surrounding areas. A consolidated report regarding it, along with the specified areas delivering the lowest quality or adulterated milk, will be sent to the Union Government.

For the purpose, the department will make the use of the advanced electronic milk adulteration tester (EMAT) received from the Union Government. The EMAT can test fat, protein content, SNF (solid not fat), water content, presence of glucose and electrodes in milk.

“The department has received the EMAT, costing Rs 3 lakh, as a gift for Chandigarh after it stood first in food safety awareness among states,” said Sukhwinder Singh, designated officer, Department of Food Safety and Standards, Chandigarh.

“We intend to utilise the machine to create awareness about milk safety. The idea is not to punish or snub each defaulter but to create so much awareness among the general public that the defaulters are pushed out of the market thereby forced to provide quality milk ,” he added.

Singh said the Union Government will send officials to conducts trials of the machine. “Only after that it will be decided as to where the machine should be installed,” he said.

Significantly, the machine installed in the newly launched mobile food testing laboratory checks adulteration but the EDMAT will take the tests a notch higher with its advanced testing features.

“This initiative is part of our initiative to sensitise the public about adulteration.  It will also act as warning for the suppliers and ensure that the product supplied by them confirms to the food safety standards,” Singh said. 

He further said the samples that failed the test would be sent for further examination in food testing laboratories for confirmation.