Two donate milk to GH breast milk bank

Kochi: For the first time since its inception around two years ago, the breast milk bank in Ernakulam General Hospital collected breast milk from outside on Saturday. The bank collected milk from two mothers who donated breast milk as part of the World Breastfeeding Week programme organized by the Pottakuzhy unit of Kerala Catholic Youth Movement. The milk was collected after testing the blood samples of the women to ensure that they don’t have any health issues. “The collected milk will be kept in the bank following pasteurization procedures. The milk will be distributed to the needy only after we receive a negative result of the presence of any bacteria in the milk cultured,” said a source in the hospital. If the result shows the presence of bacteria, the milk collected in the bottle will be discarded. The bank usually collects breast milk from mothers who give birth to their babies at the hospital. Sometimes the presence of e-coli is detected in the milk, as the mother might not have washed her hands after using toilet. tnn

Tamil Nadu: Butter and milk powder mix sold as milk to cooperative societies, one suspended

A driver in Chennai has been suspended by Aavin, a cooperative society, for selling adulterated milk. The driver, P D Rajkumar, had been using a fake name to conceal his identity while stealing skimmed milk powder and butter from Aavin. He mixed these stolen products with water at his residence and supplied the adulterated milk to the cooperative society. This incident is the latest in a series of adulteration complaints against Aavin officials. The Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers Welfare Association has called for the removal of tainted staff to address quality concerns.

FDA: 1% milk supply is substandard

In a surprise inspection, the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that 1% of milk supply in Mumbai was of substandard quality. Out of 346 samples collected, three were adulterated, resulting in the destruction of 23 liters of milk and the return of 1,900 liters of low-quality milk. The FDA raid is part of pre-festival checks carried out annually, with a focus on milk before Diwali. The FDA also collected food samples from a renowned eatery in Mumbai for quality check.

Aavin agents complain about shortage of milk supply

Aavin agents and retail sellers in Madurai have filed a complaint stating that they do not receive enough milk from Aavin to meet the demand. They are forced to purchase full boxes of milk packets, resulting in either paying more or receiving fewer packets. Despite a price increase for premium milk, their commission per packet remains unchanged. The agents have requested a meeting with the new general manager, but their efforts have been unsuccessful, leading them to seek the intervention of the collector.