New Delhi: Drinking full cream poly-packed milk even that of well known brands without boiling can be harmful because of excessive bacteria, according to a report by the city-based NGO Consumer Voice.
While generally Indians drink milk after boiling, as a cultural habit, those savouring roadside milk shakes run the risk of falling sick because most of the vendors directly pour it from the poly packs, Consumer Voice Chief Operating Officer Ashim Sanyal said.
The Consumer Voice tested 12 brands of full cream poly packed milk, including Amul, Mother Dairy and Paras and they were found to be having excess presence of bacteria and fungi which are harmful, if consumed without boiling, he said addressing a press conference.
He said the tests were done at the government-accredited laboratory.
But, Mother Dairy and Paras have assured consumers that their milk is safe.
"Mother Dairy milk is absolutely safe as multiple nested process control systems are deployed to ensure the safety of the consumers.." the spokesman said adding the cooperative has no access to the report.
Paras Director (Operation) Narender Nagar said that his company follows the strictest standards in quality tests.
But Sanyal said all the brand owners were sent the findings of the report and their comments were sought.
He said the problem is two-fold: There are no standards adequate enough to enforce that the pasteurised milk should be safe even without boiling.
"In our finding total plate count (microbiological) and coliform bacteria count in most of the brands are much on higher side," he said.
According to him, standards total plate count should be 50,000 per gram but it was found in all the 12 brands that the measurement was in excess. Telephone calls to Amul were unanswered.
PTI