World Milk Day: Nutrition or Deception?

 

🥛 World Milk Day: Nutrition or Deception?

✍️ Acharya Ramesh Sachdeva

1st June is observed every year as World Milk Day — a day to celebrate the nutrition, importance, and contribution of farmers involved in milk production.
But in today’s reality, we must ask: Is the milk we consume truly the "complete food" envisioned by our ancestors?

🐄 India Leads in Global Milk Production

India is currently the world's largest milk-producing country.
According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation):
👉 In 2023, India produced 221 million tonnes of milk, contributing over 23% of the world’s total milk output.
👉 Major milk-producing states: Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Punjab.

📊 Demand vs. Supply – What Do the Numbers Say?

• With India’s large population, the country needs more than 550 million litres of milk per day.
• However, the formal production and supply fall short of this demand.
• This gap provides an opportunity for adulterators to sell synthetic or diluted milk made with chemicals and low-grade powders.

⚠️ Fake Milk: Poison in the Name of Health

Videos on platforms like YouTube teach how to make fake milk.
Common adulterants found in milk include:

• Urea – Harmful to the kidneys and liver
• Detergents – Create foam, but are toxic to the body
• Synthetic powders and artificial colours – May even be cancer-causing

🍬 Thick milk, cream, ghee, sweets – Is this really possible with pure milk?

• 1 litre of milk produces 35–45 grams of ghee, which means 20 litres are needed for just 1 kg of ghee.
• However, the markets are overflowing with inexpensive ghee, khoya (mawa), and sweets!
• It raises a serious question: Are we truly consuming pure milk-based products?

👶 Children, Athletes, and Patients – Are They Getting Real Nutrition?

Milk is traditionally known as:

• Essential for bone development in children
• A source of energy for athletes
• A tool for recovery and strength in patients

But today, under the name of health benefits, are we unknowingly deceiving ourselves?

🔍 Steps Toward a Solution

1.     Buy milk only from trusted dairies or verified sources

2.     Check quality while boiling (foam, smell, colour)

3.     Keep children away from open milk or roadside milky beverages

4. The government must activate Food Safety Inspection Teams

5.     Consumers must not compromise health for cheap prices

🔚 Milk Purity – More Than Emotion, It’s a Foundation of Health

When it comes to nutrition, we must choose carefully and consciously, not casually.
Milk symbolises motherhood and nourishment—adulterating it harms not just the body but also trust.

This World Milk Day, let us take a pledge:
✅ Prioritise purity
✅ Spread awareness
✅ Give our children real nutrition, not synthetic dreams

🧪 8 Easy Home Tests to Check Milk Purity (Without Lab Testing)

These simple home methods will help you detect whether the milk is pure or adulterated:

✅ 1. Foam & Colour After Boiling

• Pure milk: Forms a cream layer and appears yellowish or creamy
• Adulterated milk: Creates excessive foam; no layer settles at the bottom

✅ 2. Thickness Test (Thumb Test)

• Place a drop of milk between your thumb and finger, then stretch:
• Pure milk: Slightly sticky
• Adulterated (watered): Spreads quickly with no grip

✅ 3. Soap or Detergent Test

• Mix a little water with the milk and shake hard:
• If too much foam appears or there's a soapy smell, detergent may be present

✅ 4. Urea Test (Lemon & Paper Method)

• Add a few drops of lemon juice and dip blotting or plain white paper in the milk:
• If the paper turns yellow or brown, urea is likely present

✅ 5. Synthetic Milk Smell Test

• Synthetic milk emits a strong chemical-like smell
• Pure milk has a naturally mild, sweet smell and a cooling sensation

✅ 6. Heating Test

• Synthetic milk usually doesn't curdle when heated
• Pure milk may curdle under heat or with lemon

✅ 7. Khoya or Mawa Test (for sweets)

• If khoya doesn't release oil when pressed, it could be fake

✅ 8. Boiling in Iron Pan

• Boil milk in an iron pan and let it reduce:
• Pure milk: Leaves white residue (casein)
• Fake milk: Leaves black or burnt-like residue

🔔 Caution and Tips

• Always buy from certified dairies or known suppliers
• Don’t fall for cheap or unusually thick milk
• Double-check milk meant for children and the elderly

"Pure Milk – Pure Mind – Healthy Life"

On this World Milk Day, let’s stand against adulteration, raise awareness, and protect health with truth and action.