Beware of spurious sweets and milk products during festive season

Ludhiana, October 18, 2014: Don’t let adulterated sweets and milk products ruin your Diwali this year ! As the demand for sweets skyrockets, so does the usage of adulterants. The Progressive Dairy Farmers Association (FDA) has already started cracking down on suspected sweet vendors in an attempt to curb this menace- 600kgs were seized in Aurangabad while another 1000kg from Firozepur. The ban on imports of Chinese milk products has also been extended by another year.

Some of the adulterants that are used in milk are water, chalk, urea, caustic soda and skimmed milk, while Khoya is adulterated with paper, refined oil and skimmed milk powder. Similarly, potato and Vanaspati have been found to contaminate Ghee, while the silver topping that is found on top of most mithais is often aluminium. Similarly, the Saffron thread that decorates mithai is often just dried and coloured corn hair. Combine all this together and you have the recipe for one big, bad stomach ache, if not worse!

So, now that you know why you ought to be careful about where you buy you sweets from and what to watch out for, we come to the next question – how do you know if the goods are spurious or not ! There are several ways methods you can employ to check whether the sweets you have bought are adulterated.

When it comes to Khoya, take some and rub it between your hands. If it is oily, that means it is pure, else not. Similarly, if we take the silver foil on top of most mithais and rub it on our hand, if impurities (aluminium) are present it will stick to your hand and leave a residue, otherwise it is pure. Alternatively, burn the foil and if the ash is brownish in colour it means it is aluminium. To check the Saffron, put it in water, if the colour runs, it is adulterated. Genuine Saffron releases colour only over a long period of time.

To check if milk is adulterated, put a few drops on a smooth plate and tilt it. If it is pure, the milk will run slowly and leave a white trail behind it. Further, you may even add a few drops of iodine to a small sample and if it turns blue, that means it has been adulterated.

Speaking on the subject of adulteration and while wishing everyone a happy and safe Diwali, Daljit Singh, President, Progressive Dairy Farmers Association, which together with Progressive Dairy Solutions manufactures milk marketed under the brand name La Pure, and also Ghee, Lassi, Paneer and Yogurt said, “Adulteration of milk is a huge problem in Punjab. We must take every precaution to safeguard our families and friends from associated health risks. As per a recent decision that the production and sale of adulterated milk will be an offence punishable with life imprisonment in Punjab is a welcome move”.

Similarly, Munish Sharma, GM La Pure feels, “There is already a shortage of milk in Punjab, and this is felt even more so during the festive season when demand for milk and by products such as Khoya and ghee goes up tremendously, which further leads to increased adulteration. At La Pure, we insist on the hygienic and systemized production of milk and all our farmers are sensitized towards the issue. We insure 100% pure and untouched milk which is ideal for making mithais, which are a very integral part of the celebration that is Dipawali.”

As such, this Diwali, buy your sweets from a reputed shop and keep your family and friends safe ! 

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