Why in News?

• Milk samples from Telangana, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Kerala, accounted for the highest number of cases of adulteration, according to a national milk sample safety quality survey released by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI).

Key Findings:

• The study noted that processed milk, including that of major brands, failed to meet the prescribed quality norm in 37.7% of the total samples tested, and in the safety parameters too, 10.4% of the processed milk samples were non-compliant.
• 4% of the total processed milk samples failed to comply with the FSSAI norm as contaminants like aflatoxin-M1, antibiotics and pesticides were found.
• In case of raw milk, non-compliance was at an even higher rate of 47% of the total samples of 3,825.
• In terms of quality, the survey found that 37.7% of the total sample of processed milk did not comply with quality parameters because the presence of contaminants such as fats, Maltodextrin and sugar were above permissible limits.
• The FSSAI has now directed the organised dairy sector to strictly start complying with the quality norms by January 1, 2020.
• The study shows that contamination was more a serious problem than adulteration.

Concern over Aflatoxin:

• The problem of Aflatoxin-M1 is more dominant in processed milk than raw milk.
• Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Kerala were top three States where Aflatoxin residue was found the most, noted the report.
• In large doses, aflatoxins can be life threatening, usually damaging to liver.
• Aflatoxin-M1 comes in the milk through feed and fodder that are currently not regulated in the country, and it is for the first time that such a detailed survey of the presence of this residue in milk has been done in India.
• It has to be noted that India is the world’s largest producer of milk. The total estimated milk production in the country was 176.35 million tonnes during 2017-18.

About FSSAI:

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a nodal statutory agency responsible for protecting and promoting public health in India through the regulation and supervision of food safety.
• FSSAI was established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and operates under aegis of Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
• FSSAI has been established to lay down science based standards for various food products in order ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi.