As the state struggles to tackle the menace of food adulteration which has led to an increase in cancer cases, adulteration in milk has too assumed dangerous proportions. Most of the dairies supplying milk to consumers in the winter capital are adding harmful ingredients to increase quantity and profits at the cost of people’s health.
With rapid rise of population especially in urban areas over the past decade, the demand for milk has also increased, leading to its adulteration. The RS Pura area in Jammu district, which has a large number of dairy farms supplying milk to the city and its outskirts, is too losing its credibility.
“To increase the volume of milk, a special Chinese powder is being used by dairy owners. Not only that, cheap urea is also being mixed to increase the supply. It is mixed in milk in such a way that people cannot judge the adulteration,” claimed Sajjan Singh, one of the workers at a dairy farm in RS Pura. “For example, one kg packet of powder is mixed in 10 kg of water. Some other substances are also added,” he added.
“Though Chinese powder and urea are most commonly used, ingredients like asurea (color), detergent (for foaming), refined oil (fat), caustic soda and white paint (color) are also used to make synthetic milk and milk products,” said Jagandeep Singh, owner of a dairy farm.
He further said the law enforcement agencies need to track down such criminals and take stern action against those who play with the lives of innocent people.
Dr Vasanta Kohli, Consultant and Head of Nutrition at Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu, said, “Such ingredients lead to gastro-intestinal complications and badly affect the absorption of nutrients.” Hospitals receive a high number of cases with gastro problems, for there is adulteration in almost every food product, he added.
Chinese powder, urea being added to milk
