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Page No. : 107-110

ABSTRACT

Milk safety is a challenging problem for human health and is of great economic concerns. With the ever increasing demand for milk, there is lack of supply particularly during dry season. The wish of unscrupulous supplier, to increase the bulk and make more profit, is satisfied through dilution of milk with water and addition of thickeners particularly sugar and starch to compensate its density. This adulteration of milk may pose dreadful health impact to the consumers. Keeping in view above facts and points, present study was undertaken to evaluate sugar and starch adulterants in market milk of Punjab. Out of total 732 milk samples analyzed, 8 (1.09%) and 6 (0.82%) were found to be positive in qualitative investigation for cane sugar and starch, respectively. These samples were further submitted to quantitative analysis. Laboratory analysis of sugar estimation indicated that mean of positive samples was found to be 4.42 gm/100 ml of milk with range of 1.64-5.79 gm/100 ml. For starch determination, the mean of positive samples was found to be 4.45 gm/100ml, while range of starch detected in milk samples was 3.28 - 5.50 gm/100 ml. In our study, all the positive milk samples were non-compliant with legal standard as suggested by FSSAI i.e. milk should be free from all adulterants. This concludes that sugar and starch are intentionally added in milk samples to increase its solid not fat content. Presence of sugar and starch in milk may prove very harmful for the diabetic patients. Hence, continuous monitoring and strict vigil over milk suppliers particularly on private traders, unorganized dairies and local vendors, high milk legislation and their proper enforcement and regular consumer awareness program is essential to safeguard the health of the public as a whole.

Keywords: Adulteration, milk, qualitative, quantitative, starch, sugar