Key Update

The Food Safety Department has urged consumers to remain vigilant when purchasing milk and milk products from local stalls, following laboratory tests that found 30 samples to be substandard or misbranded in Coimbatore. Over the last seven months, officials collected more than 200 milk and milk product samples from across the district. The department tested these samples to assess quality and examine the impact of antibiotics administered to cattle. Laboratory analysis confirmed violations in 30 out of 215 samples.

Of these, 18 samples were misbranded, while 12 failed to meet prescribed quality standards. Officials have initiated legal proceedings against the manufacturers responsible for these violations.

Regular Monitoring to Protect Consumers

Food safety teams routinely collect samples of milk, paneer, sweets, ice cream, and other dairy products to check for contaminants such as detergents, antibiotics, pesticides, heavy metals, and melamine. Authorities conduct these checks through national surveys and local enforcement drives, especially during periods of high consumer demand, to curb adulteration and safeguard public health.

Nationwide Enforcement Drive

Earlier this month, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) directed all States and Union Territories to launch a special nationwide drive against adulterated milk and milk products. The directive followed crackdowns on large-scale counterfeit dairy operations in northern India that produced synthetic milk and dairy products.

Ongoing Inspections in Coimbatore

According to Dr T Anuradha, Designated Officer, Food Safety Department, Coimbatore, the department has conducted intensive inspections since May 2025. Officials collected samples from 215 dairy units involved in the production and supply of milk and milk products across the district, and accredited laboratories analysed all samples.

No Major Adulteration Detected

Dr Anuradha clarified that inspectors did not find serious violations such as synthetic milk or excessive antibiotic residues in the samples collected from Coimbatore. However, the department continues to investigate the identified violations and will take legal action against those responsible.

Source: The New Indian Express