Researchers led by Dr Pallab Sinha Mahapatra, an associate professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras, have developed a portable device that can detect multiple substances commonly employed as adulterating agents in milk within 30 seconds.

Collaborating with Dr Mahapatra in this interesting endeavour are research scholars Subhashis Patari and Dr Priyankan Datta. Together, they have co-authored a research paper that was recently published in the prestigious peer-review journal, Nature Scientific Reports.

Researchers claim that this “three-dimensional (3D) paper-based portable device” has the capability of detecting substances used as adulterating agents in milk including urea, detergents, soap, starch, hydrogen peroxide, sodium-hydrogen-carbonate and salt, among others.

These researchers even claim that one can perform this test at home. To test for these adultering agents in milk, one would require just a millilitre of milk.

Moreover, a recent press release issued by the institute makes the argument that, unlike expensive and time-consuming conventional laboratory-based methods to test the purity of milk, “this new technology is affordable and could also be used to test other liquids such as water, fresh juices and even milkshakes for traces of adulteration.” (L-R: Image above of Dr Pallab Mahapatra and a representational image)

Milk adulteration: A problem which requires solving

According to a report by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), in 2019, 41% (in 2018, 70%) of milk produced in India was adulterated.

“The total number of cases registered for milk adulteration is around 15,000 per year. Nowadays, urea, melamine, detergents, boric acid, formalin, ammonium sulphate, caustic soda, starch, sugars, hydrogen peroxide, soaps,........

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