Lahore, In a ground-breaking study by the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), 92% of loose milk samples collected across Pakistan failed to meet safety and quality standards. The research, presented during a health seminar at Avari Towers in Lahore, revealed that more than half of these samples (54%) were unfit for human consumption.
According to a news release by University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, the survey examined five critical parameters – Composition, Adulteration, Antibiotic Residues, Aflatoxin M1, and Heavy Metals – to determine the milk’s compliance with regulatory limits. The results showcased a significant disparity in the quality and safety of loose milk in the country. The absence of previous nationally representative data on the safety and quality of Pakistan’s loose milk prompted this comprehensive survey. Conducted in collaboration with Nielsen, a leading multinational research agency, the survey spanned 11 major cities, ensuring a broad, representative sampling. A total of 1,206 samples, split equally between the winter and summer seasons, were gathered for the study.
The seminar, which served as a platform to disseminate these alarming results, featured a presentation by Associate Professor Dr. Azmat Ullah Khan from the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition (UVAS), the Principal Investigator of the project. UVAS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr. Nasim Ahmed, and Vice-Chancellor University of Education Prof Dr. Talat Naseer Pasha (SI) were also in attendance. They provided insights on the study’s implications, with Dr. Ahmed emphasizing UVAS’s ongoing commitment to addressing challenges in the dairy and food sectors. Dr. Pasha stressed the critical role of tractability in food safety and the need for enhanced consumer awareness and modern milk supply methods. Prof Dr. Ashraf Nizami, President of the Pakistan Medical Association, highlighted the potential of school meal programs to combat malnutrition and stunting in students.
Given that Pakistan ranks as the fourth-largest milk producer globally and 95% of its consumed milk is loose milk, these findings have far-reaching implications. The nation’s traditional milk distribution involves an informal, multi-layered system of middlemen. This unregulated method, coupled with inadequate transportation and storage facilities, results in substantial food safety concerns at the consumer level. Apart from microbial contamination, the milk has been found to contain residues from drugs, pesticides, mycotoxins, and heavy metals, all of which pose severe risks to public health.
The dire state of loose milk’s quality and safety in Pakistan underscores an urgent need for regulatory intervention and heightened public awareness of the potential health ramifications.