Extent of extraneous water and detection of various adulterants in market milk at Mirpurkhas, Pakistan

Abstract

In Pakistan, milk adulteration is a growing issue of significant importance. This problem persists at every level; from production point to consumption. Adulteration poses ill effects on the public health. This study was designed to screen the various adulterants in the market milk sold in the vicinity of Mirpurkhas district of Sindh, Pakistan during the year 2013. A total of 100 milk samples were collected. Twenty milk samples (n= 20) from each of milk producers (MP), milk collectors (MC), middlemen (MM), processors (P) and dairy shops (DS) were examined for various adulterants. Among these adulterants water (73%) was found in majority of milk samples, followed by detergent (32%), cane sugar (22%), caustic soda (20%), rice flour (17%), sodium chloride and skimmed milk powder (15%), hydrogen peroxide (13%), starch (12%), formalin (11%), urea and vegetable oil (10%), boric acid (8%), ammonium sulfate (6%), glucose (5%), sorbitol (4%) and arrowroot (1%), respectively. Freezing point of 65% milk samples of MP, 75% of MC, 75% of MM, 80% of P and 85%% of DS appeared towards 0 o C rather than that of control milk, and assumed to be adulterated with extraneous water. The averaged extent of water in milk sold by P remarkably higher than that of other milk marketing channels, but statistically non-significant (P>0.05) with all milk intermediaries; MP, MC, MM and DS. The risk of adulteration at DS was found to be significantly higher (P 0.05) with P and MM.