70 per cent milk samples collected across the country by food safety authority did not conform to standards.

The results of a first-of-its-kind survey on milk by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) reveal something startling—most Indians are consuming detergents and other contaminants through milk.

The National Survey on Milk Adulteration 2011, a snap shot survey, was conducted to check the contaminants in milk, especially liquid milk, throughout the country. The study found that due to lack of hygiene and sanitation in milk handling and packaging, detergents (used for cleansing) are not removed and find their way into the milk. Many a time, detergents are deliberately added to milk. The survey report notes that the consumption of milk with detergents in hazardous to health. About eight per cent samples were found to have detergents. Other contaminants like urea, starch, glucose and formalin, too, are used as adulterants. FSSAI tested a total of 1,791 samples.