Ways to check the purity of milk

Milk is one of the most common drinks used in the regular diet. Many people start their daily routine by drinking a cup of coffee or tea, for which milk is essential. Milk is also given to children as it is rich in many nutrients.

However, it is difficult to say that the milk you consume is pure. Not just the milk sold by normal vendors, but even by reputed brands may also be adulterated.

Here are some simple but effective ways to check the purity of milk at home:

• Water is the most common adulterant used with milk. To test if the milk contains water, put a drop of milk on any slanted surface to flow down. If it leaves a trail behind, it shows that the milk is not pure but contains water. Also, if the milk flows freely, it is an indication of water content in it. Pure milk flows slowly.
• You can also check the taste of milk. The taste of pure milk is sweet. But, if the taste of milk is sour or bitter when you keep it in the refrigerator, it may be an indication of adulteration of milk with detergent and soda. It also may indicate that the milk is not fresh but stale. The presence of detergent in milk can also be known with the formation of lather if the mixture of equal quantities of milk and water is shaken.
• To check urea content in the milk, add one teaspoon of soybean or pigeon pea powder to one teaspoon of milk and shake well. Insert a red litmus paper. If it turns blue, it indicates that the milk contains urea.
• Add two tablespoons of salt or iodine to 5mil of milk to know the starch content in the milk. The mixture turns blue to show that it has starch.
• Several milk selling companies add formalin to preserve it for a long time. Add 2-3 drops of sulphuric acid to 10 ml of milk in a test tube. If you see a blue ring, it is an indication of formalin.

Now that you have known the ways to check the purity of milk at your home, use them and buy fresh and pure milk.

Image by Simi from Pixahive (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Reference: https://pixahive.com/photo/milk/