Food is one of the most significant aspects of our social and cultural lives, and both state and society play crucial roles in determining nutrition and health-related policies. From mid-day meals in schools to government-sponsored functions, decisions around food are often governed by social and political constructions rather than nutritional requirements. In most cases, the question of health often takes a back seat.

As per the recent National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21), in children under five, the rate of stunting is at 35.5 per cent, wasting at 19.3 per cent and underweight prevalence at 32.1 per cent. Despite such evidence, nutrition and public health remain neglected. A similar apathy about food quality may explain why there is no outrage over food adulteration, which should be a grave concern for public health.

In the 1990s, it was common to hear stories about adulterated milk. In 2025, the adulteration of food, including milk, remains a problem. For instance, the National Survey on Milk Adulteration in 2011 revealed that 70 per cent of the milk samples that were tested in India did not meet the standards of food safety. Water is the main adulterant in milk. Other adulterants include salt, detergents and........

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