The issue of food adulteration in milk and milk products has raised significant public health concerns in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Over the past three years, nearly 22% of milk and milk product samples analyzed in the region failed to meet safety standards. Haryana had the highest percentage of non-conforming samples at 28.46%, followed by Himachal Pradesh at 23.56%, and Punjab at 17.68%. These figures underline the widespread nature of the problem and the health risks posed by contaminated milk products.
In response to the growing concerns, the Progressive Dairy Farmers Association (PDFA) has rejected allegations circulating on social media that link adulteration in milk to adverse health effects. During a press conference, Daljit Singh, President of PDFA, emphasized the importance of ensuring the purity of milk and called on the government to take stronger measures against adulteration. He argued that misinformation is being spread about milk production, and he highlighted the significant scale of Punjab’s dairy industry, which produces up to 3 crore liters of milk daily during the winter peak season.
Singh asserted that milk, considered a vital nutritious food, is being unfairly targeted, potentially harming the reputation of genuine milk producers. He also raised concerns about the lack of enforcement against adulterated paneer, alleging that some manufacturers operate with the complicity of department officials.
The attached image provides a detailed breakdown of the percentage of milk samples that failed quality tests in the three states over the last three years, further illustrating the extent of the issue.
