54% of loose milk unhealthy, survey finds

92% of samples were found to be non-compliant with quality and safety parameters

LAHORE:

A nationwide survey on milk quality and safety conducted by University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) found that 54 percent of loose milk samples in Punjab was unfit for human consumption. Moreover, 92% of loose milk samples were found to be non-compliant with quality and safety parameters.

An event was held on Tuesday at a private hotel to publicise the results of the survey. Five quality and safety parameters were tested for compliance with regulatory limits, including composition, adulteration, antibiotic residues, Aflatoxin M1 and heavy metals.

Collected samples of loose milk failed to meet these parameters. Additionally this survey served to fill an information gap, as there was no nationally representative data on the safety and quality of loose milk in Pakistan. This national survey was conducted in the 11 major Pakistani cities by Nielsen, a top multinational research agency, which designed its sampling plan to ensure authenticity of results.

A total of 1,206 loose milk samples were collected and the detailed findings of the research report were presented in a special health seminar by Associate Professor Dr Azmat Ullah Khan from the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition at UVAS.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 25^th, 2023.