MUMBAI, June 22 -- To curb the growing problem of milk adulteration, Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deployed mobile testing vans equipped with advanced milk screening machines that can detect adulteration on the spot. The mobile testing vans are expected to be operational by next month. Until now, FDA officials were required to send milk samples to laboratories for testing, resulting in lengthy delays before action could be taken. Each van is fitted with a compact lab setup that includes a high-precision milk scanner, digital weighing scales, adulterant testing kits, and a real-time data recording system. The digital milk analyzers can assess fat percentage, SNF (solids-not-fat), protein content, and density, and detect harmful substances such as urea, starch, glucose, neutralizers, sodium chloride, detergent, and ammonium sulfate. "These vans can handle up to 40-50 samples a day," said an FDA official overseeing the rollout. "The results are immediate and digitally logged with geo-tags." Initially, the vans will be stationed at key checkpoints-Mulund, Dahisar, Mankhurd, and Airoli-where large volumes of milk tankers enter Mumbai. The vans will also rotate across urban markets, rural collection centres, and dairy hubs previously flagged for inadequate monitoring. To support the enhanced operations, the FDA plans to recruit 175 additional food inspectors across Maharashtra. Dr Gautam Bhansali, consultant physician at Bombay Hospital said, "Substances like detergents and urea can damage the liver and kidneys, while neutralizers and synthetic chemicals may cause gastrointestinal distress, hormonal imbalances, and long-term toxicity if consumed regularly."...