Abstract            Volume:12  Issue-1  Year-2024         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Food adulteration is a widespread public health concern in developing regions, particularly in rural areas where regulatory surveillance is often limited. The present analytical cross-sectional study was conducted to assess adulteration in milk and milk products collected from rural markets of Buldhana District, Maharashtra. A total of thirty-four samples, including fourteen milk samples and twenty milk product samples (paneer, butter, and curd), were collected from different retail outlets and tested using standard qualitative chemical methods based on FSSAI guidelines. Results revealed that all fourteen milk samples (100%) were adulterated with added water. Among these, six samples (42.86%) also contained additional adulterants, including sugar (100%), starch (50%), formalin (33.33%), and urea and detergent (16.66% each), indicating multiple adulteration practices. Out of twenty milk product samples, thirteen (65%) were adulterated. Among paneer samples, six out of ten (60%) contained starch, four of five butter samples (80%) contained starch and vegetable oil, while three of five curd samples (60%) showed the presence of sugar, starch, and formalin. These findings clearly demonstrate a high prevalence of adulteration in milk and milk products in rural Buldhana, reflecting deliberate and economically motivated practices that pose significant health risks to consumers. The study emphasizes the urgent need for routine surveillance, strict enforcement of food safety regulations, and increased public awareness to ensure safe and genuine food consumption in rural communities.

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