Karnataka - Bangalore

Adulterated milk may contain washing powder and chemicals

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Imagine having soap in your morning cup of tea. It may be shocking, but a recent story by a television channel showed how adulterated milk is being sold in our cities and towns and Bangalore may not be an exception.

Experts say adulterated milk may contain urea, hydrogen peroxide, washing powder, shampoo and other chemicals. Detergents and washing powders are added to create foam while other chemicals are added for taste. "All kinds of materials are going into milk, including starch and paper pulp. Washing powders and chemicals used to make it more thick or foamy can definitely cause stomach upset. Consuming adulterated milk could be harmful for health in the long run," says P.S.V. Rao, endocrinologist. So, what can you do to check whether the milk you are drinking is adulterated or not? Try this: it is called the soda test. Take 5 ml of milk in a test tube and add 5 ml alcohol, followed by 4 to 5 drops of caustic soda. If the colour of the milk changes to pinkish red, then it is likely that the milk is adulterated.

To detect the presence of starch, take 3 ml milk in a test tube and boil it thoroughly. Cool it to room temperature and add 2 to 3 drops of iodine solution. If the milk changes its colour to blue, it indicates that it is adulterated with starch.

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