Latest Tests Find Lead in Milk

HC asks BFSA, BSTI to report what actions taken to examine adulteration of milk, curd and oxen feed.

♦ No drug store will sell antibiotic for oxen while not prescriptions from registered veterinary doctors.
Amid considerations regarding the standard of the prepacked and non-packaged milk accessible within the market, East Pakistan Food Safety Authority (BFSA) has currently detected lead, a harmful serious metal, in change integrity milk of eleven brands.

The companies area unit Milk Vita (state-run), Aarong Milk, Pran Milk, farm contemporary, Igloo Milk, Farm Fresh, Aftab Milk, Ultra Milk, Ayran Milk, Pura Milk and Safe Milk — all registered with East Pakistan commonplace and Testing establishment (BSTI).

The BFSA dispensed a series of tests last month at the laboratories of six government and nongovernment organisations — East Pakistan nuclear energy Commission, East Pakistan Agricultural analysis Institute, East Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial analysis, Plasma and, WAFFEN analysis and International Centre for unconstipated unwellness analysis, Bangladesh.

The tests conjointly found lead and metal, another serious metal, in raw cow milk accessible in numerous markets within the capital, aforesaid BFSA professional Faridul Islam, UN agency placed the check report before the court yesterday.

The samples of the prepacked milk were collected from numerous markets within the capital, whereas the samples of milk were collected from fifty mercantilism points within the town.

It comes simply two weeks after Dhaka college researchers observed detergent and antibiotics for people in packaged milk of some of the pinnacle manufacturers who boast in their “superior” high-quality in advertisements — Milk Vita, Pran, Aarong, Igloo and Farm clean.

The antibiotics encompass levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and azithromycin which might be used especially to treat bacterial infections in human beings.

After the DU researchers published their findings, Kazi Wasi Uddin, additional secretary to the fisheries and farm animals ministry, threatened them with criminal moves in the event that they did not submit their observe in a peer-reviewed magazine.

A subsequent 2nd check with the aid of the DU researchers on the identical samples reconfirmed their findings, said Prof ABM Faroque, director of Biomedical studies Centre at DU, who led the research.

Professionals say lead in milk may additionally come from farm animals feed and contaminated soil and might affect liver, kidney and bones.

In step with the world fitness business enterprise, there may be no acknowledged level of lead publicity this is taken into consideration safe for human body.

“If the soil is contaminated, lead can input into animal our bodies via feed. The alternative supply may be processed livestock feed. If the feed is infected, milk will be too,” stated Mohidus Samad Khan, an associate professor at Buet’s chemical engineering department.

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Receiving the BFSA report, the HC ordered the authorities to prevent sale of antibiotics for farm animals without prescriptions from registered veterinarians.

The courtroom also expressed its frustrations over the authorities’ failure to make certain secure meals, which include milk, and ordered the BFSA and BSTI to document returned to the courtroom on their moves towards adulteration of milk, curd and livestock feed with the aid of July 28. The courtroom will listen the matter again that day.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam noted that food adulteration changed into a “public fitness difficulty and not an difficulty of politics”.

“a government secretary has reportedly criticised the Dhaka college researchers who detected dangerous substance in milk. However why? Tell us if milk has some thing to do with politics. We need to all work shoulder to shoulder to make certain secure meals and sound health of the residents,” Justice Nazrul said.

The court also wondered how milk infected with lead and cadmium can be determined in markets, and requested the BSTI and BFSA to make certain safe food for the sake of public fitness.

“someone claims there are dangerous materials in milk even as some other says milk is secure,” the courtroom located, referring to a recent BSTI record that claimed packaged milk was secure to drink.

However, the BSTI testing requirements have been set years in the past and are manner below the global standards. Additionally, the nation’s sole fine manipulate authority has no mechanism to discover pesticides and antibiotics. In addition, BSTI exams milk most effective in opposition to 9 parameters whilst advanced nations accomplish that in opposition to 23-30, experts and BSTI officers say.

At some point of yesterday’s hearing, BSTI lawyer Sarkar MR Hassan instructed the courtroom that they formed a committee to set an worldwide wellknown of food intake.

The HC took the issue of milk contamination so severely that during February it ordered the Anti-Corruption fee to research adulteration of milk, curd, and fodder and take legal movement in opposition to the ones accountable.

The court docket had additionally asked the BFSA to form a probe committee to pick out the people and companies concerned in adulteration of dairy merchandise and fodder in three months.

It had also issued a rule on the government, such as the BFSA chairman, contributors of critical meals protection control Coordination Committee and the BSTI chairman, to provide an explanation for why their inaction and failure to save you meals adulteration ought to not be declared unlawful.

At the same time, the courtroom had asked them to explain why production, shipping, and renovation of adulterated milk, curd, and fodder in shops, departmental stores, and open market need to not be declared illegal.

The rule of thumb directed the respondents to provide an explanation for why they have to no longer be ordered to get rid of the ones from the marketplace and produce the ones accountable to justice.

The February eleven order came after the countrywide food protection Laboratory discovered immoderate level of lead, pesticide, antibiotics and bacteria in uncooked cow milk. The take a look at also detected high degrees of chromium in cow feed.

The day prior to this’s record with the aid of the BFSA changed into as a part of the HC directive.

In a separate development, a few eminent citizens the day gone by referred to as at the government to make certain first-class milk.

The authorities should no longer display any leniency on this regard, they stated in a assertion, signed by cultural persona Nasiruddin Yousuff Bachchu.

“It’s a felony and ethical obligation of the government involved to supply milk retaining a proper fashionable,” the announcement stated.

The opposite signatories are countrywide Professor Anisuzzaman, cultural personalities Hasan Imam, Ramendu Majumdar, Ferdousi Majumdar, Ataur Rahman, Mamunur Rashid, Hasan Arif, Sammilito Sangskritik Jote President Golam Kuddus, poet Mofidul Haque and cartoonist Rafiqun Nabi.