Adulterants in milk and milk products

Introduction

Milk and milk products are essential components of the human diet, providing vital nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamins. However, the quality and safety of these products can be compromised by the presence of adulterants. Adulterants are substances added intentionally or unintentionally to food products, often to increase quantity, mask defects, or deceive consumers. In the case of milk and milk products, adulterants can include various substances such as water, urea, formalin, starch, and detergent

                                         Ref - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030881461631857X

Why Adulterants Exist?

Milk adulteration is driven by a few key factors:

Economic Gain: Adding water or bulking agents like starch can increase the volume of milk, allowing sellers to stretch their product and maximize profits.

Masking Spoilage: Unethical producers might add preservatives like formalin to extend shelf life, even if the milk is starting to spoil.

Mimicking Composition: Urea can be used to artificially increase the protein content reading in milk.

Here are the different kinds of adulterants that can be present in milk

Importance of testing adulterants

Standards and Regulations 

FSSAI (India):

Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011:

• Milk: Minimum 8.5% SNF (Solids-Not-Fat) and 3.5% fat.
• Standardized Milk Products: Specifications vary depending on the product (e.g., Skimmed Milk Powder - minimum 90% SNF).
• Prohibition and Restriction on Sale of Adulterated or Misbranded Foods: Bans addition of foreign substances like starch, urea, or formalin to milk and milk products.
• Maximum Levels for Certain Contaminants in Food Products: Sets limits for contaminants like heavy metals, mycotoxins, and pesticide residues.

USFDA (United States):

Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO): Established by the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) and adopted by most states. Sets quality standards for Grade A milk, including:

• Minimum SNF: 8.7% nonfat solids.
• Milk Fat: Varies depending on milk type (e.g., Whole Milk - minimum 3.25% fat).
• Standards of Identity for Milk and Cream: Defines compositional standards for different milk types (e.g., Skim Milk - maximum 0.5% fat).
• Action Levels for Antibiotic Residues in Milk: Sets maximum allowable levels for various antibiotics in milk.

European Union (EU):

• Regulation (EC) No 853/2004: The General Hygiene Regulation for food. Establishes general food safety requirements, including measures to prevent adulteration.
• Regulation (EC) No 1698/2005: Lays down requirements for mandatory precondition programs and hazard analysis for critical control points (HACCP) principles in the food industry.
• Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006: Sets maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs, including milk and milk products (e.g., heavy metals, mycotoxins).
• EU Milk Marketing Standards: Define compositional standards for different milk types sold within the EU (e.g., Whole Milk - minimum 3.5% fat).

Mandatory and optional analyses

Mandatory Analyses:

These are tests required by regulatory bodies like FSSAI, USFDA, or the European Union. They focus on key adulterants and compositional factors to ensure milk safety and compliance with standards.

• Milk Solids-Not-Fat (SNF): This is a mandatory test to detect water adulteration. Minimum SNF content varies by country and milk type (e.g., India - 8.5% for whole milk, US - 8.7% for nonfat solids).
• Fat Content: Another mandatory test to ensure milk meets the defined fat content for its category (e.g., Whole Milk - minimum 3.25% fat in the US).
• Acidity: This test measures the milk's natural acidity and helps identify spoilage or improper handling.
• Antibiotics: Mandatory testing for residual antibiotics used during cow treatment. Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) are set to safeguard consumer health from antibiotic resistance.
• Contaminants: Regulatory bodies may mandate testing for specific contaminants like heavy metals, mycotoxins, or pesticide residues. Limits are established to ensure milk safety.

Optional Analyses:

These tests are not universally mandated but can be performed for additional quality control or to detect specific adulterants.

Cryoscopy: Measures the freezing point of milk. A higher freezing point can indicate added water.

Density: Determines the overall density of milk, which can be affected by adulteration with substances like starch or sugar.

Conductivity: Measures the electrical conductivity of milk, which can be altered by the presence of certain adulterants like salts or detergents.

Microscopic Examination: Can reveal the presence of foreign substances like starch or abnormal cell counts indicative of spoilage.

Specific Gravity: Another test to assess milk density and identify potential adulteration.

Urea Test: Optional but can be used to detect the presence of urea, sometimes added to artificially inflate protein content.

Formalin Test: Optional test to identify the presence of formalin, a banned preservative.

Eurofins role in testing adulterants in milk and milk products

Eurofins plays a significant role in testing adulterants in milk and milk products throughout the supply chain. Here's how their expertise contributes to ensuring milk safety:

Comprehensive Testing Services: Eurofins offers a wide range of testing services to detect adulterants and ensure milk quality. These services can be tailored to meet the specific needs of dairy producers, processors, and regulatory bodies.

Standard Tests: They perform mandatory analyses like fat content, SNF (Solids-Not-Fat), and antibiotic residues, complying with regulations set by FSSAI, USFDA, or the European Union.

Advanced Techniques: Eurofins utilizes advanced technologies like liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for highly sensitive and accurate detection of specific adulterants like rBST (recombinant bovine somatotropin) or illegal antibiotics.

Species Detection: They can identify the milk source (cow, goat, sheep, etc.) to prevent fraudulent substitution and ensure product authenticity.

Focus on Quality and Safety: Eurofins prioritizes delivering high-quality testing services to promote food safety and consumer confidence.

Accredited Laboratories: Their laboratories are accredited by international organizations, ensuring adherence to rigorous testing standards and reliable results.

Expertise and Experience: Eurofins has a team of highly skilled professionals with extensive knowledge in milk analysis and adulterant detection.

Global Reach: With a global network of laboratories, Eurofins offers testing services to various locations, supporting the dairy industry worldwide.

By providing comprehensive testing services, advanced technology, and expertise, Eurofins plays a crucial role in safeguarding the quality and safety of milk and milk products for consumers worldwide.

References

1. Nascimento, C. F., Santos, P. M., Pereira-Filho, E. R., & Rocha, F. R. (2017). Recent advances on determination of milk adulterants. Food Chemistry, 221, 1232-1244. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.11.034
2. https://www.fda.gov/safety/major-product-recalls/2024-recalls-food-products-associated-dairy-products-rizo-lopez-foods-inc-due-potential-risk
3. Azad, T., Ahmed, S. Common milk adulteration and their detection techniques. FoodContamination3, 22 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40550-016-0045-3
4. https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/dairy-testing-market

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