Raids in Gurgaon over suspected adulterated dairy products

In Gurgaon, the food safety department conducted raids at several dairy shops in Arjun Nagar on Wednesday. This action followed complaints from local residents reporting suspected adulteration in cottage cheese sold at these shops. Officials collected samples of various milk products, including cottage cheese and curd, for quality testing. Dr. Ramesh Chauhan, the district food safety officer, confirmed that they gathered samples from shops like Ak Paneer Bhandar, Sahid Paneer, and Haryana Paneer Bhandar. Gauri Dairy had both cottage cheese and curd samples taken, with about 50 kilograms of cottage cheese collected. All samples showed a foul smell, raising concerns. For cottage cheese to be considered genuine, it must contain at least 50% fat. If produced with lower fat milk, it should be labeled as ‘low-fat'. The use of milk powder, which lacks fat, for making cottage cheese is not allowed. Some shops have been found using cheaper milk or milk powder and adding unhealthy fats like palm oil to enhance flavor. This practice is harmful to consumers. The test results from the FSSAI laboratory in Karnal are expected in about two weeks. If the results show that any samples are substandard, the respective manufacturers will receive a notice. They will have the opportunity to respond to the findings. If they dispute the results, they may request further testing at a central government lab. If those results are also unsatisfactory, penalties will be imposed by the ADM court on the manufacturers.