BD Standards Instt contradicts DU report on ‘harmful milk’

Dhaka, June 25 – Bangladesh Standards Testing Institute (BSTI) yesterday in a report submitted before the High Court said that it did not find any harmful elements after conducting test of 18 samples of 14 brand packed-milk from the market.
However, Dhaka University’s Pharmacy Faculty and Biomedical Research Centre yesterday revealed that they have jointly conducting tests on pasteurised and non-pasteurised raw milk and found detergent in milk available in the kitchen market for consumers across the country.
Talking to this correspondent, BSTI deputy director Riajul Haque said that they have collected 18 samples from the market and conducted test, but they did not find any harmful elements on the 14 brand packed-milk.
These brand milk are: Pura, Ayran, Aarong Dairy, Farm Fresh Milk, Moo, Milk vita, Aftab, Ultra, Tania (200gm), Igloo, Pran Milk, Dairy Fresh, Milk Fresh and Cowhead Pure Milk.
During yesterday’s proceedings, BSTI lawyer barrister Sarker M Hasan Mamun wanted to submit the report before the HC bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Iqbal Kabir saying that BSTI authority did not find any harmful ingredients into the 14-brand pasteurised milk after conducting test.
But, the HC bench said that there is similar matter on suo moto rule pending before another bench of the HC that asked the BFSA and BSTI to submit a report before it by June 23 after conducting lab tests of raw cow milk, curd and fodder samples picked up from the market.
“So, you (BSTI lawyer) move the case before that bench by filing this report. It will not be good, if two cases would run in two separate benches of the HC for a similar matter. It will be better to submit the BSTI report before that bench,” the HC bench said.
But, Advocate Aneek R Hoque, counsel for the petitioner, told the court that the matter is now nearing the completion by this bench. “We want to dispose of the case by your lordship,” Hoque said.
Later, the bench adjourned hearing till Thursday.
Advocate Tanvir Ahmed, a Supreme Court lawyer, filed the writ petition before the HC on May 20 in last year following several reports published in national dailies stating that 75 per cent pasteurised milk of the markets were not safe.
Following the writ petition, the HC bench asked the BSTI to submit test report after collecting samples from the markets. The BSTI authority prepared the report and hand over it to its lawyer for submitting before the bench in line with the HC directive.
Meanwhile, Pharmacy department of Dhaka University revealed a report stating that pasteurized milk, Ghee, oil, spices and fruit drinks sold in the market are rich in crude and harmful materials.
Researchers have found traces of detergent and antibiotics in pasteurized milk produced by the companies like Pran, Milk Vita, Igloo, Aarong, and Farm Fresh.
According to the BSTI standards, ‘fat in milk’ will be 3.5% and ‘solid not fat’ should be more than 8.25.
Where 7 of 6 tested samples of milk did not contain the desired ‘fat in milk’ and there was no desired ‘solid not fat’ in any of them.
Also, the presence of harmful antibiotics and detergents for the human body in the sample was also alarming.
Apart from this, the image of value degradation of various edible oils, including Rupchanda, Pushti, Suresh, Danish, and Boshudha are found in the research.
Prohibited banned Cyclamate are also found in samples of 11 fruit drinks. These are Star Ship Mango Fruit Drinks, Sazan Mango Drinks, PranFruto, Orangee, Pran Junior Mango Fruit Drink, RitalFruitika, Sun Drop, Chaba, Red Apple, Sun vital Nectar De Mango, Lotte Sweetened Apple and Tropicana Twister.
Apart from this, the turmaric and chilli dry powder were also found contaminated in the test. The presence of toxic Methanol Yellow textile color has been detected in the turmeric powder.
The main researcher of the study ABM Faruque, professor of clinical pharmacy and pharmacology department of Dhaka University, said, “The availability of excessive coliforms has been found by testing the milk of these companies. Besides, antibiotics have also been found in some milk.”
“The traces of antibiotics that we found were meant for human consumption. Antibiotics for humans and animals are totally different.We need to stop the use of antibiotics meant for humans on animals, because it might have fatal consequences when humans consume them through animals,” The Professor added.
Milkvita, a government organization, is selling quality less milk-in that case, what people will eat? In response to this question, professor Faruque said, “I also have the same question? But to whom we will ask this question? The truth is that who’ll have the opportunity of dishonest trade, they’ll do it. Whether it is a government or a non-government organization. Appropriate action must have to be taken to overcome this. Otherwise, people will be forced to buy non-productive products.”
“We researched and disclose the results days after days. But those who are policy makers they’ve to work on these issues,” he further added.
It may be mentioned that during a suo moto rule hearing, a HC bench comprising Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justic KM Hafizul Alam had on May 21 expressed dissatisfaction over the activities of the BSTI and the BFSA and directed them to submit a report by June 23 after conducting lab tests of raw cow milk, curd and fodder samples picked up from the market.
BSTI sources said that it had conducted lab tests of 305 items of raw cow milk, curd and fodder samples picked up from various places of the markets. But, it has found that all items except two have maintained standard quality.
BSTI submitted the test report before the HC bench on June 23 as per its earlier directive. After receiving the report, the HC bench wanted to know the names and particulars of the companies and firms that are producing and supplying milk and curd in Dhaka without having any license and asked BSTI to submit a report before it by July 15 in this regard.
The HC bench issued suo moto rule following a report conducted by National Food Safety Laboratory (NFSL) that said in 93 samples of liquid milk out of the 96 collected from the market, the presence of substances harmful for the human body had been detected.
According to the report, 18 out of 31 powdered fluid milk samples contained harmful substances. The NFSL, in its report, said it found the presence of excessive levels of lead and pesticides in raw cow milk, regular consumption of which could pose threats to human health. – Staff Reporter