By: Jigyasa Kakwani
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Milk is a staple in most households, whether it's in your morning chai, coffee, desserts or used to make paneer and ghee. But how do you know if the milk you're buying is safe?
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If it's not handled or packaged hygienically, it could be adulterated with harmful substances. Here's how to check its purity at home:
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Place a drop of milk on a glass slide. If it flows slowly, leaving behind a white streak, it's likely pure. If not, it may be diluted with water.
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Mix equal amounts of milk and water in a bottle and shake well. If it forms a thick lather, there's detergent in it. Pure milk will produce a thin foam layer.
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Add a few drops of iodine tincture or solution to the milk. If the liquid turns blue, it means starch has been added-often done to thicken adulterated milk.
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Take milk in a test tube, add arhar dal powder and shake well. After five minutes, dip a red litmus paper. If it turns blue, the milk contains urea.
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Pour 10ml of milk into a test tube and caadd 2-3 drops concentrated sulphuric acid along the sides. If blue or violet rings appear, formalin is present.
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Want to check if your paneer is pure too? Click here for more tips!
Image Credit:iStock