The tragic death of 16 persons, including children, in Andhra Pradesh due to the consumption of contaminated milk exposes the chinks in the safety and regulatory systems.
The horrifying details indicate the presence of a toxic chemical commonly used in coolants, which can be lethal.
The chemical ethylene glycol can cause irreversible organ failure, especially of the kidneys. Whether it is a case of wilful adulteration or an instance of callous negligence, ignorance or sheer greed, the consequences are disastrous.
The vendor’s freezer reportedly leaked, resulting in ethylene glycol, which is used as a coolant, getting mixed with the milk stored in it. Secondly, storing milk directly in the freezer could be dangerous and susceptible to contamination.
Thirdly, instead of disposing of the contaminated milk, it reached the homes of customers who were clearly oblivious to it. Regulatory bodies failed to identify and act against the milk collection and distribution shop, which allegedly did not have the required permissions and was therefore operating in contravention of the law.
The milk contamination deaths recall the recent ignominious deaths of children in Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere due to the consumption of cough syrup containing industrial-grade chemicals, namely ethylene glycol (EG) and diethylene glycol (DEG). Here again, the drug regulatory system failed. Coupled with this is the greed of pharmaceutical companies and even medical practitioners who are lured by illicit gains.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated with systematic and regular monitoring and regulation of the milk industry to ensure purity.
Milk and milk products are highly perishable and therefore need pasteurisation and refrigeration to remain safe for human consumption. Everyone should meticulously follow best practices relating to production, handling and transportation of milk, including sanitisation of equipment and cold storage management.
FSSAI should ensure nationwide surveillance and mandatory licensing, besides undertaking consumer awareness initiatives. The FSSAI also has a Mobile Food Testing Laboratory (MFTL), which is deployed for wider food testing, training and awareness programmes, particularly in villages, towns and remote areas.
These “Food Safety on Wheels” (FSW) units are equipped with the required equipment and kits to conduct on-the-spot testing of key quality parameters, namely fat, SNF, protein, and adulterants such as added water, urea and sucrose. Despite government claims of systems and processes being in place, such tragedies continue to occur.
Given how small farmers and local dairies have been in the business for decades, the FSSAI should ensure that these small-scale vendors are given training and knowledge on handling milk, especially when freezers and storage are involved and in regions where electricity supply could be erratic.
Secondly, the tragedy highlights the urgent need for more effective and rigorous monitoring mechanisms.
Field staff should be sensitised to the dangers of contamination and the need for stricter and uncompromised food safety checks. Regular inspections of milk supply chains at all levels and strict enforcement of food safety regulations are a must.
Public awareness campaigns should educate consumers about the dangers of contamination and adulteration, and how to identify them. Timely reporting, too, can save lives. Governments should not stop at case-specific action and compensation announcements but put in place systems that ensure such tragedies do not recur.