Govt should promote ICAR tech to detect detergent in milk

Expressing concern over adulterated milk in the country, a Parliamentary panel has suggested the government to make efforts to popularise a new technology for detecting the presence of detergent in milk.
The government's Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed a new colour-based test for rapid detection of detergent in milk.
The technology has already been transferred to Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation, Mother Dairy and Ahmedabad-based Havmore Icecream Ltd.
"The Committee is of the view that availability of cheap and easy to use test will help immensely to stop the menace of adulterated milk (especially with detergent etc.) available in the market," the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture said in its latest report.

Hence, the Committee it desires that the government puts efforts to "publicise and popularise" the new technology "extensively" so that it can be made available to every milk cooperative in the country.
According to the report, the new testing technology, which has been validated by Mohali-based Punjab Biotechnology Incubator, detects all brands of commercial detergent available in the market.

The test gives results within 100 seconds and can detect the presence of 20 mg commercial aionic detergent in 100 ml of pure milk. This qualitative test can be easily performed at milk collection centers.
The cost of chemicals per test is about 40 paise.

However, cost of test after including disposable plastic tube and tip will be Rs 1.40, the report added.
Already, Mother Dairy has agreed to bring the test to market. The new technology is not recommended for household purpose due to involvement of hazardous chemicals.
Haryana-based dairy institute National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) is regulatory demonstrating and explaining about the new technology to dairy industries, entrepreneurs at largest, as per the panel report.
Milk production in India, the world's largest producer and consumer, is in the range of 135-140 million tonnes.