Maharashtra Fake Milk Racket Sparks Food Safety Alarm

Maharashtra's recent crackdown on a large-scale synthetic milk racket has highlighted how adulterated milk can be manufactured using detergent powder, palm oil, shampoo, low-grade milk powder and chemical additives to closely resemble genuine milk in appearance and fat content, raising serious public health concerns. According to the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA), investigators suspect that more than 2.3 crore litres of synthetic milk may have entered the state's supply chain over the past six months after being mixed with genuine milk.

The fake milk was allegedly produced by combining low-quality milk powder with water, while detergent and shampoo acted as emulsifiers to blend oil and water, and palm oil was added to mimic the fat content of real milk. Scientists warn that although the product may appear similar to genuine milk, it lacks milk's natural nutritional composition and prolonged consumption of detergent- and chemical-contaminated milk can pose serious health risks, particularly to children, pregnant women and older adults, potentially affecting the digestive system, liver and kidneys.

The incident has intensified calls for stricter surveillance across the dairy supply chain, stronger enforcement against food adulteration, regular laboratory testing and greater consumer awareness to safeguard milk quality and public health. (India Today)

Source: Dairynews7x7 17 July, 2026 Read full article here

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