From the 90s decades, the dairy industry has proved to be the spine of the rural economy and employment in India. It is known to be the largest industry in India that has been sustained. However, credibility is an essential need for sustainability. But now there has been counterfeiting in all sectors. The food industry is also not free from it. The milk that you are drinking might not be the one with reality and can be a white liquid containing water, starch, and paint. It is very challenging to spot the difference between fake milk and the original.
Like every special day, there is a special day to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Milkman of India, Dr. Verghese Kurein. Because of his efforts, he is honored as the ‘Father of the White Revolution’. He is credited with giving a new leaf to the dairy industry of India. The country that was framed as milk-deficient became the largest producer of milk worldwide all because of him.
Well, Dr. Verghese Kurein is not with us today but his contribution to bringing a new revolution to the dairy industry in India will never be forgotten. Counterfeiting now has become a common issue wherein the reputation of popular brands gets tampered with because of fake products. It is almost in all sectors be it electronics, cosmetics, toys, footwear, and so on.
But counterfeiting in food products including milk comes as a big risk to one’s health. Because
It is because not all consumers are smart enough to detect the difference between a fake and real white liquid. Well, even though it is difficult to put an end to counterfeiting, still, some simple tactics can be followed to spot the adulterated milk. But before that let us have a brief overview of some statistics.
According to IMARC (International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group) report, in India, the dairy market is valued at INR 9,168 billion in 2018. By 2024, it is expected to increase to 21971 billion. One must not take it as a profit-reaping business but as a robust mechanism for the socio-economic growth of the country. From 2019 to 2024, it is expected to rise at the rate of 16%.
There are some pitfalls related to the dairy industry in India. In comparison to countries that are rich in dairy production, India falls lower in terms of milk production per cattle. Secondly, manufacturers of dairy products sell the product in the domestic market mostly. The country is at the back front in dairy products. Fluid milk is usually sold here.
As far as an FSSAI survey four years ago, it has been found that the milk which is sold in India contains 68% of adulteration. Hence, it is not safe to consume. Even the mark of ISI is also not real. According to experts, this brings an easy opportunity for manufacturers and traders to duplicate the mark unethically. Now, this raises a question in consumers’ minds: if the ISI mark does not guarantee safety, then what are the other ways to look for?
Simple testing to detect fake milk
The answer to the above question is possible if you do some simple testing to detect fake milk.
- In the first option, you have to drop some amount of water on a surface in a slanting state. If the milk seems to be sticky and leaves marks while floating, then it is authentic. By diluting milk with water in excess quantity, then it slides without leaving any marks.
- Coming on to the next test is pouring some amount of milk into a half-filled glass of water. Now take a lid over the mixture and then shake it with force. The fake milk will certainly show froth and soapy foam.
- In the third test, take a milk container, and put a few drops of tincture iodine into it. If the color appears blue, then it is evidence of starch in it.
- Milk tastes sweet when drunk. But if you feel bitter, then it confirms adulteration.
- The other testing can be challenging as it is difficult to spot the area, which is a very dangerous element found in milk. The reason for this is it does not change the appearance, taste, and viscosity of the milk. That is why it is not that easy to detect urea. However, if you want to check, then do some mixing of soybean powder in the milk. Shake it properly. Then dip a litmus paper in it. If you notice any change in the color from red to blue, then it confirms the presence of urea in it.
Technologies to prevent adulterated milk
Other than following these simple tests, you need to be aware of the techniques followed by the dairy industry in India to spot adulteration in milk. These are:
- Tetra Pack
- Security holograms
- Barcodes in the serialized arrangement
- Tamper-proof packaging
- Blockchain technology & counterfeit technology like Blokchi
Ending note
So, guys, these are some of the simple tests through which you can spot adulterated milk. Even though it is not so easy to bring down counterfeiting in milk, still, one can follow these tactics to save himself from consuming a poisonous white liquid. The anti-counterfeiting by Blokchi is a step to save consumers from this adulterated practice.
