LAHORE – A nationwide survey on milk quality and safety conducted by University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) found 92% of loose milk samples to be non-compliant to quality and safety parameters.
Moreover, 54% milk samples were found unfit for human consumption.
Five quality and safety parameters were tested for compliance with regulatory limits. These included composition, adulteration, antibiotic residues, aflatoxin M1 and heavy metals.
Loose milk was largely found non-compliant to these parameters.
This national survey was conducted in 11 major cities of Pakistan by Nielsen, a top multinational research agency which designed its sampling plan to ensure authenticity of results.
A total 1206 loose milk samples were collected in the winter (n=603) and summer seasons (n=603).
Pakistan is the 4th largest milk producing country in the world. 95% of the milk consumed is loose milk and it reaches the end consumer for immediate consumption through informal multi-layered distribution system of middleman (milkmen).
This traditional loose milk supply chain system is unorganized and non-regulated, thus quality of milk is hardly maintained and it results in serious food safety issues at consumer level.
This informal loose milk supply chain channel lacks proper transportation and storage facilities consequently quality of milk is lost.
Loose milk is highly perishable and susceptible to microbial growth and survival, and is a vehicle of food‐borne pathogens.
In addition to microbial contamination, residues from antimicrobial drugs, pesticides’ residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals and adulterants have also been found in loose milk, that pose serious risk to our public’s health.
