Milk adulteration: need to introduce legislation stressed

There is immediate need of Milk adulteration/prevention legislation, as it is gaining momentum in Pakistan like other South Asian countries to ensure provision of pure milk to general public. Talking to a select group of reporters here on Saturday, Rashid Javed, Country Director Plan Pakistan, an NGO, said that the government's negligence towards the health sector can be judged with the fact that not even a single step has been taken so far to implement the milk anti-adulteration laws.
He said that keeping in view the health perils being faced by over 180 million Pakistanis due to widespread and ever increasing milk adulteration, establishment of Milk adulteration prevention legislation framework a must to ensure provision of pure milk to the citizens.
Plan Pakistan, a non-government organisation, has initiated a milk anti-adulteration campaign for which a policy draft has been prepared for the adoption of the Government of Punjab. The first milk adulteration is to mix muddy water rather than clean tap water in milk to raise its density and keep it thicker. The second most common adulteration is Urea. As a result milk remains rather cool during long haul journeys of big milk tankers and 'spoilage' is avoided. The third most common adulteration is alkali or Caustic Soda to raise the pH of the milk. The other forms of adulterations are the use of Grease, Coconut Oil, Cotton Seed Oil and other Cheap Oils to raise the fat content, he said.
Sharing data, he disclosed that the adulteration of milk with harmful substances is a threat to public health and beyond question a serious crime. Pakistan produced almost 17 billion liters of milk, while its consumption was 38 billion liters of milk, mixing various chemicals to bridge the demand/supply gap.
Shedding light on economic benefits, he added that the Modernisation in milk collection, handling and marketing will address all the key weaknesses in the milk business. The conversion of the informal dairy sector to a modernised, regulated formal sector will attract a lot of local and foreign investment, which may have a multiplier effect for the local and national economy. As an added advantage, consumers and international buyers' confidence will be restored and will ultimately result in increasing dairy sector exports.
The adoption of the milk anti-adulteration policy will ensure increase investment in the sector and will create additional spillover of economic activity in terms of promotion of local manufacturing of dairy equipment and machinery, resulting in increased labour demand.