Waking up to adulteration, FSSAI launches survey to check milk products in J&K

Srinagar: Waking up to adulteration, Food Safety, and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a survey to check the quality of milk products used for the manufacturing of sweets in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Milk Product Survey 2020 is being conducted across India and would commence at the district level in Jammu and Kashmir to assess the quality and safety of milk products sold in the union territory.

 For time-bound completion of the survey, the FSSAI has roped in National Collateral Management Services Ltd (NCML). Under the arrangement, NCML will provide infrastructure support and help the FSSAI in conducting the survey of dairy products.

As per the FSSAI officials, the State Food Safety officers (FSO) have been involved in the sample collection, which will be sent for testing at respective state labs.

“The state may utilize the services of National Collateral Management Services Limited (NCML) for sample pick-up from the DO’s office and subsequent milk product testing, if testing facilities are not available with their State/ UT,” said an official.

 The products which would be tested include Khoya, Mawa and its derived products like Burfi, Peda, Pindi, Milk Cake, Gulab Jamun, Gujiya, Kala Jamun, Paneer and Chhana 

“The FSOs have been advised to collect five samples from the mentioned categories. It should be ensured that preservatives should not be added while collecting or transporting samples from the shop to the lab and ensure cold chain and aseptic conditions are maintained throughout the chain,” FSSAI said in a statement.

 Meanwhile, the NCML has set 6 parameters to check the quality and safety of the milk products being sold in Jammu and Kashmir.

From BR reading, triable acidity to microbiology tests, the NCML has included all these parameters to check the presence of ingredients and harmful bacteria in the milk products.

As per a communiqué from FSSAI, in the two-day survey around 4000 samples are expected to be collected and the results of the samples will be provided by NCML to FSSAI in three to four weeks.