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Seizure of spurious milk exposed malpractices, states Punjab FDA chief
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Friday, 30 November, 2018, 15 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The seizure of a huge cache of spurious milk and milk products (MMP) in Punjab did not only raise eyebrows, but also laid threadbare the dark side of the white trade. This was stated by K S Pannu, commissioner, Food and Drug Administration Punjab.
“We conducted hundreds of raids in a month. Thousands of samples were seized. Hundreds of quintals of spurious milk, paneer, desi ghee and khoya were unearthed, and above all, 60 per cent of the 724 legal samples of MMP collected by the food safety teams in a 10-day drive under the banner of Tandrust Punjab Mission failed to qualify the quality test,” he added.
“This was the status of the state revered for the stellar role he played in ushering in the White Revolution,” he rued.
Going by facts, in terms of the per capita availability of milk, Punjab is the leader among the frontline milk-producing states, with 1,035ml of milk available per person per day, which is far more than Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. So, the demand and supply dynamics indicated that the production of spurious MMP was not need-based but greed-based.
“Ensuring unadulterated food, especially milk and milk products, is one of the important components of the Tandrust Punjab Mission. Pure food is the right of citizens. So, we started the campaign to sensitise the stakeholders about the need to abstain from adulteration, and forewarned them of strict action against the defaulters,” the commissioner said.
“We held meetings at the state level with the Halwai Associations and the Progressive Dairy Farmers’ Association to garner their support and win over their confidence as our motive is corrective, not punitive. We want to check spurious products and not harass anyone,” he added.
This was followed by a series of awareness drives for the public with the support of consumer awareness forums and local residents’ welfare associations, wherein they were exhorted to consume quality products purchased from trusted sources get them checked time to time. Besides, eight mobile testing vans of the dairy department were roped in to generate awareness amongst people by analysing the samples brought by them on the spot.
“Regular inspections continued month after month, and the comparative analysis report of the MMP samples seized during the month of August and September reflected 15 per cent reduction in sub-standard milk and milk products (MMP),” said Pannu.
He added that in two months, the state FDA has been able to check an appreciable amount of adulteration. “But this is just the beginning. We shall not rest till we end this nuisance,” Pannu said.
Giving the details of the analysis report, the commissioner informed that in the month of August, 1429 samples were seized. Of these, 666 samples (i e about 46.6 per cent), did not conform to the standards. And in the month of September, 1,023 samples were seized. Of these, 337 (i e 32.9 per cent) did not conform to the standards.
Divulging further details, he informed that milk adulteration had reduced by 21 per cent; adulteration of butter, ghee and other milk products by 11 per cent, and adulteration of edible oils, fats and vanaspati by 15 per cent.
Pannu informed that the Halwai Associations have assured all support to the Tandrust Punjab Mission. They want to come clear of the blot of sub-standard products and have assured that they will prepare sweets using either their self-manufactured khoya or that which has been procured from trusted sources.
“The public is also supporting us with valuable tip-offs,” he said, adding that the drive against spurious MMP had also been successful in saving the genuine milk producers of the state, as readily-available, spurious and cheap MMP slashed the market prices and broke the backbone of genuine milk producers in the state.
“Besides the routine inspections, we will tighten the noose around wrong-doers by taking strict action against the defaulters,” Pannu said.
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