25 per cent of milk sold, unfit for human consumption: FDA

Thane, Jan 27 (UNI) As much as 25 per cent of the milk being sold in Maharashtra is unfit for human consumption, the testing of milk samples carried out by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a period of seven months in 2007 has revealed.

FDA Commissioner Dhanraj Kamathkar, who was here to attend an exhibition and seminar, organised by the Thane FDA, told UNI that since 2004, FDA has tested as many as 2,476 milk samples and found that a record 620 milk samples unfit for human consumption. Out of the total testings, 354 cases has been registered in the courts, and administrative action been taken on 231 of them, he revealed.

Kamathkar informed that upto July 2007, 772 samples were tested and a record 204 samples were found to be unfit for consumption.

The Joint Commissioner of the Konkan Division H D Salunkhe said upto end of December 2007 the department (food section) has drawn up a total of 19,695 samples and 17,166 food firms has been inspected, and a total of 657 cases has been filed in the court for violation of the acts, and a total of around 10,000 cases were still pending in various courts.

The FDA has suspended a total of 686 licenses for violation of rules and regulations and issued 164 warnings, he informed.

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