Milk Preservatives and Adulterants: Processing, Regulatory and Safety Issues

Liquid milk has been an important human nutrient source for a thousand years. However, the safety of milk has always been challenged due to illegal use of preservatives and adulterants such as hydrogen peroxide, salicylic acid, benzoic acid, water, neutralizers, melamine, and so on. Addition of these two types of substances in milk has become a common feature for fulfilling the milk demands of overpopulated countries. Now, for the dairy industry, it seems to be difficult to run the plant without the use of preservatives and or adulterants, especially under Indian conditions. In addition to their potential toxic effects on human health, they also undermine the economy of a country. The lack of timely action against the unscrupulous traders by the public health departments and other law enforcement groups and lack of simple and rapid methods for detection of adulteration further encourage this menace. This overview attempts to address the key features of these two types of harmful substances in milk, their effect on milk composition and constituents, along with their regulatory and safety aspects.