Breast and ovarian cancer risk for women due to adulterated milk

Mumbai- In the month of January this year, a team of Crime Branch destroyed an adulterated milk factory in a house in Bihari Hill Society in Poisar area, Samata Nagar police station in Mumbai. In this raid 1040 liters of adulterated milk has been seized from this factory.  Although milk ranks highest among the drinks consumed with love and trust in any country in the world, no system has been able to curb the adulteration of white milk in India. By consuming milk, a person gets different proteins, fatty substances, calcium, and many types of vitamins.  However, various chemicals, detergent powders, shampoos, and synthetic substances are entering the body of the people from the milk these days, and many things have become a threat to the health of the people. Talking about the adulteration of milk and its effect on our health Mrinali Dwivedi, Consultant Nutritionist and Clinical Dietitian from Apex Group of Hospital says,“These adulterants are hazardous and cause irreversible damage to our organs. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in an earlier report had mentioned that detergents in adulterated milk caused food poisoning and severe gastrointestinal complications; The other synthetic compounds like melamine, cause kidney impairments, heart problems, cancer and even death. The immediate effect of drinking milk, adulterated with urea, caustic soda and formalin is gastroenteritis but the long term effects are known to be far more serious. Many times sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydroxide is added to the milk to keep it fresh for longer. Oxytocin is a hormonal drug, that has side effects on both animals as well as humans. Also consumption of such milk procured from cattle injected with oxytocin, causes jaundice in children as well as known for symptoms like reduced blood supply to the brain. It affects the immune system too. In women, uterine and breast diseases due to hormonal imbalances are very common. Urea, maltodextrin, glucose and corn are used to increase the density of milk.  Ingredients like starch, sago or milk powder are also mixed in. Using these ingredients does not affect the consistency of the milk even with double the water, but it has an adverse effect on our kidneys, stomach and intestines.”

The balance of nature and animals is also getting worse. Our human species is definitely affected by such adulterated food services, Dr. Sameer Kanakia MD Internal Medicine Specialist from Platinum Hospital Mulund said, ” Worldwide, around 57% of people have developed health problems due to consumption of adulterated and contaminated foods. The diminishing quality of different foods has been a great challenge in various countries of the world, including India. Detecting adulteration in milk or other food is not a very difficult task. With proper use of IT we can create good sensors, machines. There is definitely so much potential in the IT sector that we can detect adulteration in milk or other food at home with such sensors, such sensors and systems are easily available abroad, then why not in India? Low or stopped export of our fruits like grapes, bananas, mangoes, pomegranates etc. is also a matter of concern. The main reason for this is the large-scale spraying of pesticides on fruits that are still fit for human consumption is one of the debatable subjects. We all have to work together to stop this adulteration and use of technology to do this is the need of the hour.”