Method for Analyzing & Detecting Powdered Dried Milk for Adulterants

My guess would be to reconstitute it with distilled water and run the standard water tests on it for adulterants.

My second guess would be to vaporize it and run it through a mass spectrometer, but I think it would be much more expensive than the water test.

GA, you've hit the nail on the head. The problem is that if there really was a cheap, easy, broad spectrum test for adulterants to any food it would be used by everyone and food born illnesses for that food would be a thing of the past. Until we are successful in duplicating a fully functional version of Dr. McCoy's medical tri-corder, accidental and careless contamination of food will always happen.

the commonly known adulterants are : melamine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents, formalin, urea, sucrose, skimmed milk (in fresh milk) ,etc. besides contaminated water. Both fresh milk and powdered milk are found adulterated with some adulterant. China baby milk killed 6 babies and sickened thousands due to melamine adulteration. In India about 70 percent of milk is sold adulterated.

Athough one of the simplest (or crude)method to check the quality of milk is through tasting or boiling. When boiled adulterated milk often leaves a layer of the adulterants sticking to the bottom of the container but this isn't a foolproof test though. To test water a simple hydrometer can be used or by experience one can tell the density of the milk by letting it flow down or the extent to which it sticks to drinking glass or utensil.

More sophisticated tests can be successfully done but only if adulterant is known.

Some tests hit the nitrogen percentage ( as level of adulterant) in the target sample.

The problem of worldwide adulteration of foods and other consumer products is beyond the scope of this forum.

And, apparently, many governments, also.

What? China did take a strict note of that. The USFDA and EU are equally conscious of this problem and are taking due care of it. The main problem lies in the developing countries, not the developed ones. We just can't leave this issue alone!

I think the best solution would be to find reliable sources of untainted dried milk.

Maybe easier said than done, but if I received a poisoned batch of anything from a supplier, I would be done with them.

We had fun with the tequila last night................it will probably be another 3-4 years before I get another bottle though.

When my wife traveled a lot, I kept it around to drink after the boys were in bed. Imagine, after homework, dinner and baths, you'd be ready for a toddy, too.

She doesn't travel much any more, so now I don't have to wait for bedtime.

What I thought was good, is when china had tainte gluten in dog food. The aninimal right activist, was crying for china to get to accountability and have them punished. Well they did, swiftly. ........

http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2007/07/12/food_safety_heads_execution_in_china_stirs_internet_cheers/

They have to be careful what they wish for, but I have to say, I like the actions delivered to greedy businessmen and politicians especially. (could have thrown in a few attorneys for good faith)

Good that you explained it all.

If such punishments are enforced in other countries as well no one would have to worry about adulteration in food and petfood and even medicines. Recently many people died due to intake of bad \statins/ or heart drugs called Isotab in Pakistan.

Nothing came out, no one was beheaded!!

China's actions where swift, one reason is that the US might have boycotted or embargoed products from China. The punishment that China did, had cascading positive effects.

1. It showed that greed and coruption would be punished

2. It shut up the outcry from this country

Even though it evidently did not eliminate adulterated food stuffs, it did put some sting into it.

Since some 'guru's ' here don't seem to take this issue seriously I think they will realize the gravity of the situation after reading this..and think before they take their morning cuppa milk!!

http://www.agrihunt.com/agri-news/50-agri-news/1430-milk-adulteration-need-to-introduce-legislation-stressed-.html

and this.......

http://www.defence.pk/forums/world-affairs/167666-70-milk-delhi-country-adulterated.html

We take the issue seriously, but there is NO EASY solution to crime and fraud.

You live in an area where people don't care about the welfare of children, and lives are, apparently, cheap. Is that our fault???? Death, obviously means nothing to them.

Don't blame us for the problem and don't blame us if there is no solution.

That's not true. Life is precious to everyone. It's only the 'system' that is to be blamed. As humans isn't our duty to point out the illths of the society or try to find a solution for them???

Don't say death means nothing to them...it does as it does to anyone who lives. But sometimes you don't have control over things due to some reason...Ofcourse it's not your fault but as a student of science I believe there is a solution for everything 'physical' and 'tangible' on this earth....for almost everything but we may not know until a time!

Sorry, I can never believe that the people who adulterate these products have ANY REGARD for human life.

Do you think that they don't know that the concoction they are brewing isn't lethal????? It kills people, That's the end of it.

Please.

I salute your concern, but don't blame us if we have no magic bullet.

I am not blaming you. It's just a concern I am trying to bring to notice at large.

Again greed and lust is working behind such heinous activities but weak laws and governance are also to blame.

I recall Italy once having shipped 100,000 gallons of salad oil instead of Olive oil to the US.; Australia having shipped for years horse meat instead of beef to Saudi Arabia; USFDA still rejecting seafood in particular for reasons of containing filth, salmonella and decomposition, etc but the same being reshipped to Europe, Japan and other countries for human consumption as if there were 'categories' of humans for such things!

This is a mysterious world....drugs banned in the US and Europe are still sold in our market...It makes me wonder if the milk sold as ''standardized milk'' is really milk or what??

BTW if you think you don't have the answer someone else might be having....let's keep the pursuit for knowledge going....

You've now accused some of us of not taking food contamination seriously. Well I cannot speak for others but I want you to know that I do take food contamination very seriously. I do not take you at all seriously. You see I believe from your question and responses that you do not have a very good understanding of basic chemistry. You also do not understand at all how and why milk adulteration happens. Let me take the single adulterant, melamine, for an example.

This chemical has been added to diluted or poor quality foods so that simple, cheap, food purity tests that already exist can be tricked into thinking the food is more nutritious. If a simple test exists that can discern melamine tainted food from quality food I do not want the test to be widely known because any simple test can be cheated. Melamine is added to cheat a widely known simple test.

I don't believe that you are deliberately trying to help those who wish to taint food. You should recognize though that by discussing food safety testing on a public forum you can be making food less safe than more.

I agree with redfred, you can develop a sure fire test to detect one contaminate. But when you deal with people whose ethics are questionable at best, they will find another filler that harded to detect to replace it.

It just escalates, but doing nothing is wrong.

Then where is the Law??? Are we still living in the wild?? No.

Well the point I'm getting at is it's one thing to be proactive. But do it within reason. Because the alternative is living in consant fear. The law is there, but in today's world and with the abundance of attorneys biding to make a good living, justice takes time.

Come on....judge not before you are judged.

You are simple referring to Kjeldahl's method for determining Nitrogen in a sample.

If I knew a simpler method I wouldn't mind posting on this forum for the benefit of all.

It's wrong ''that by discussing food safety testing on a public forum you can be making food less safe than more.'' because almost everybody knows about 'food safety'' from the news media...creating awareness about an illth forewarns the public at large to take precautions before handling that product. Such revelations are open secrets now....and have nothing to blame for.

From Whac A Mole Game

Here's the problem. It's like the children's game. Put one scheme out of business and the robbers and pushers and the people who deal in human misery will find another way to steal your money without a second thought to what it might do to you, or your children.

They "pop up" elesewhere, with another way to take your money. Whack the criminals down for killing babies one way and they will find another way to poison them.

Or, they will put sawdust in the cattle feed, melamine in the dog food.

Life is not important to these people.

Thanks lyn, that was the part of the point I was trying to make.

Living in Arizona, I see this all the time on the border. Close down one stretch, they go somewhere else.

The intruders do as much damage as the criminals. Tons of debris left for property owners to deal with, vans belonging to coyotes left in the desert when they are spotted, human waste, and bodies, left to rot.

Drop houses trashed.......................don't get me started.

It's just sad.

A person trained in organic chemistry could test dry milk for a number of contaminants, if we are trying to find intentionally added materials designed to mislead common analytical methods, since the quantities added would need to be above the trace level in order to mislead the standard tests. The costs would be modest, but still above what individual users could afford. Large importers and exporters, governments, food and agriculture organizations, would all find the cost low. The real question is what happens when a problem is found - that is where the cost lies, and who is willing to pay those costs? I am not describing the methodology since I agree with the cautions stated above regarding limiting access to this information for improper use. The usurpation of the term "organic" by the USDA with the associated reduction in standards of quality is a lesson in the effects of politics on food. Lucky people can grow their own food or obtain it from known sources like local farms.

Milk is adulterated in India itself, Mazhur let us be frank about it. We do not import Milk from China. Of course there were many instances about adulterations against China such Toys painted with posionous paints, Dry walls etc.But as far as Milk adulteration is concerned in India it is local culprits. They are greedy elements who do not bother about life of kids. They just want to make fast buck. They should be caught be caught and hanged.

I'm a little confused.

I did some poking around, and it sort of looks like in many cases, the powdered milk isn't tainted...................but what is added to it when it's reconstituted.

I might be completely wrong. But if that's the case, it seems like the safest bet would be for consumers to buy the milk in powder form, and find their own source of safe water to add to it. My brother just returned from 3 months in India, and I realize that that isn't always easy either.

Hi Kramat,

I would like to clarify further, here in India mostly in northern states there are some gangs who make artificial milk from detergent, skimmed milk etc. they sell such milk in metro cities.They make huge profits in process. Even some milk dairies who test the milk for adulteration could not detect if milk is adulterated. Your suggestion of buying dry skimmed milk and adding filtered water is good but we being the country of fresh milk producers and cow worshippers do not like the taste of skimmed milk. We get such skimmed milk from Nestle and other MNCs in sealed pouches but it is not being consumed regularly.

I hope your brother has enjoyed his stay in India. .

India or Pakistan, the situation is almost the same but these are developing countries and shouldn't have strong reason to make a spark. But it does make a 'spark' when such malpractices go unnoticed or unattended in developed countries which are known for 'rule of law'. (Is that mainly meant for 'tax collection''??). Frankly speaking food adulterators need to be brought to book in the manner China did.

Most of the dried powdered milk is imported from developed countries which do not have enough cows to provide milk for dried preparation. so how on earth are they producing dried milk in such enormous quantities for exports unless the same is ''standardized'' with some adulterants, bulking agents or fillers???

Dried powder milk is not popular in Pakistan as well Iit doesn't appeal to palate)and the great bulk of skimmed milk usually goes as adulterant in milk products. Sad but nobody seems to care!

What i do is I do not buy fresh milk from an ill-reputed milk seller....but I can check it for physical or organoleptic properties with simple 'rule of the thumb' ...Again some milk sellers cheat you in weight or volume; they try to cheat you (Indians and Pakistanis) by measuring out in seers instead of liters. Some years ago I caught my milk seller doing that and made him refund me for the one chattaank he was measuring less for whole one year!!

Greed and selfishness has no bounds.... the best method for discouraging or curtailing adulteration seems to be the Chinese method, that is, hand the adulterers without delay!

But it does make a 'spark' when such malpractices go unnoticed or unattended in developed countries which are known for 'rule of law'.

unnoticed, or unattended. I think, in IMO, that the problems go deeper than just adulterated foodstuffs but corrupt government officials that are supposed to be looking after this.

Hi Mazhur,

Good comments from you, India and Pakistan are two sides of same coin. Conditions are same in both countries. I thought you are also Indian. Anyhow if our Govt. Officials fail to act against such criminals then only we have to fight it out publicly.

He and his family go stay here every year.

Yeah, like lyn said, the bad guys are always going to pop up. You'll never get rid of them. To me, this sounds like an opportunity. The honest milk producers and distributors should develop their own testing and certification program, guarantee the quality of the milk, and post test results on the internet.

Providing a source of "guaranteed" safe milk, would be the most effective way to put the crooks out of business.

I read something about possibly executing the people behind the tainted milk in China. That would also be a pretty effective deterrent.

post results, India's infrastructure I'm sure is different that ours.

<<<<Providing a source of "guaranteed" safe milk, would be the most effective way to put the crooks out of business.>>>>>>

but again the problem will not be solved unless bad bureaucracy is tackled with penal swipes like the Chinese did.

Health authorities are themselves ridden with corruption and bad stuff is let go with their collusion. Too bad if such nuisance is let happen in developed countries where ''rule of law'' is much touted about.

When the authorities themselves are corrupt, not much can be done.

Being a shameless capitalist, my next move would be to invest in the testing equipment and set up small shops in the metropolitan areas. A small fee would be charged for my services, and after the machines were paid for, it would be all profit.....................as well as providing a community service.

It may take some work to find suitable testing equipment, but it's out there.............sometimes outside of the food industry.

http://www.misco.com/products/DEF-201.html

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/06/simple-color-test-for-melamine-contamination-in-milk.ars

Hi Kramarat,

Nice to hear that your brother visits Amma's Ashram every year. Are you guys from India?. Anyhow, India in one of the most spiritual destinations where people around world flock in to gain peace. Even in such pious atmosphere there is no dearth of cheats.

I still don't see engineers having answer to my question, maybe I poke some scientist to deliver,....

In my younger days I recall people keeping their own cows or buffalo's at home for milk. But with the progress of science the simplicity of lifestyle has fled leaving field open for manipulators of science to have their way and play havoc with public health only to satiate their greed and lust for quick money!

I don't think you are going to find a fast and easy way.

There are methods to detect most anything. It will depend on how much money you want to spend to get the testing accomplished.

The subject you have is difficult.

In the USA, we monitor milk quality.

SCC (Somatic Cell Count)

Plate Count

If it's at low and a quality level the Farmers get quality additional premiums per CWT (per every hundred pounds of milk)

Protein and Butter fat (this is for premium payments if it's about a certain level of valued components)

They do test for water in the milk, it happens on a rare occasions that it turns up positive, but it does happen.

But we cannot give you a good answer, we do not know what your infrastructure is. Are you working with a government agency, private testing or as a contract with dairies?

Yes by all means contact a food scientist or biologist.

They are working on it in India:

The Chinese method of execution might be a little extreme.............maybe. But the least the Indian government should do, is to start slapping people in prison, that are doing this.

mazhur,

Pay attention!!!!

There are numerous ways to test for adulterants. They exist today. They take time, and cost money. This has already been explained to you. You have not listened.

THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE. This problem will not be solved by science. It is a question of human greed. The issue is one of regulation and HONESTY/ETHICS.

This has all been discussed. What else is there to say??????

Stubbornly demanding that a forum of strangers take up this cause because you have posted a question here is illogical and overbearing.

Many people around the world are concerned about this.

I'd suggest that you contact the World Health Organization and solicit their help.

Good luck.

Lyn,

At best, mazhur is a fool to ask a group of engineers to divulge how a food quality is analyzed on a free public forum. At worst, he's trying to figure out how to circumvent a test for a food product that fails a mysterious test. I have been a fool many times in my life. It takes one to know one. I believe he's a fool.

Hey, are you in your mind???

Stay as you were or are instead of insulting me...

My question concerns Public health and that is important...concentrate on the topic rather than go around with your puking, right?

If you cannot answer a question run for the exit.....door!!

I didn't know a 'guru' like you would give up so soon as well as calling the question ''

'' illogical and overbearing.''! No, it isn't. If we let go such things so easily there wouldn't be any solution for many food items. For example, people here are adulterating medicines

too. I told ya previously that many people died and hundreds fell ill recently in Pakistan due to spurious ''Statin'' and Isotab (Digoxin type drug for heart patients)intake at hospitals and at home. Thank goodness, I was not taking that drug, which I occasionally did to control my cholesterol...and I am now so panicked after the recent tragedy that I have decided never to take statins again!!

The only way to suppress adulteration is through severe laws and implementation thereof. For example, any adulterator would face hell if he commits his evil in the UAE or Saudi Arabia...that's apart from China. You can only relate this to enforcement of harsh laws..which make milk taste sweeter and healthy!!

BTW WHO doesn't control local laws and are thus out of question.

I have reached the conclusion that the best way to ensure Pure Milk is by keeping a cow in your house to get milk from!!;)

The question, itself isn't illogical or overbearing.

Your demands that this forum solve the problem for you is.

Fred and I are very supportive of people with true engineering problems. We have little tolerance for people who demand that we solve the sociological/moral/ethical dilemmas of other counties when we have no power to do so.

By the way, the title of "guru" is bestowed on anyone who has posted 500 or more times here. I has nothing to do with intelligence or knowledge. I can point to several idiots here who have the title, but I won't.

I have nothing more to add here.

deeply appreciate your reply, in our part of the world a 'guru' is a 'guru' who knows everything!!

My question is related to food engineering or control thereof, right?

As i said before let us keep the quest for knowledge alive and do not despair.

guru kee jay!!

For the time being, if it was me, I'd get used to drinking the "safe" powdered milk that you mentioned...........from Nestle and others.

Some in this discussion seem to be implying that problems in the food supply are not as prevalent in the developed world. The documentary "Food Inc." presents a disturbing look at the industry of food production, and how the laws and agencies put in place to protect the consumer are being corrupted by large corporate lobbies, and political influence.

This is not just a problem in "developing countries" by any means, and should be of concern to all. Personally I don't believe the problem can or will be solved through regulation as the problem is epidemic.

One proactive and immediate solution is to only buy food from trusted sources, and consume local product. Admittedly this is not always possible, especially when limited funds and regional supply shortages are deciding factors in your purchasing decisions.

Testing food from corporate suppliers and factory farms may provide a sense of security, but awareness of the problems and not purchasing from suspect sources (low cost as primary choice) is an effective means to limit exposure to tainted product.

If anyone is interested, here's a link to the above mentioned documentary...

http://vimeo.com/34457916

It's about 1 and 1/2 hours long.

You want to get political sure, I'll tell you this much, there's a bigger problem than adultrated food in developed country, In this country (USA), its obesty.

There are food ingredient company's and corporations that develop additive's that MAKE you over eat. Label that as adultrated.

I believe that this is what Food Inc addresses.

Where do you want to draw the line.

pheonix911 states "Where do you want to draw the line?"

Somewhere between public awareness, and the individual making an informed choice in what they consume, not relying on regulators or someone else to make the decision for them.

Obesity and apathy are mutually conducive to poor choices, not a lack of regulations.

It carries many labels, no matter what label, it still is a health problem

I don't know about the others, but I tend to ignore the ramblings of anonymous posters. In fact, if this were my forum, which it is not, I would not allow guest/anonymous posts at all.

Why don't you register.

I think that would be too harsh...allowing guests to post should be no problem because guests often come for a while and leave. However, posting anonymously is something to think about.

How long does it take to register?

OMG here is a fresh news for milk-lovers!!

This milk could have gone into the spray dryer to produce powder milk?

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3225439.ece

10000 litres of adulterated milk seized, seven persons arrested
The Hindu
"They have adulterated the milk with caustic soda (also used to unclog drains), washing powder (for the froth), sugar and tapioca powder,"

Good to see they are making arrests. A harsh punishment will deter future people from doing what they were doing.

I don't think you have a grasp of the question. Lactose intolerance is not the subject.

You are confusing the already belabored issue.

So they are catching the adulterers... Put them in prison on a diet of their own product. I think this would make the punishment fit the crime.

Bill