600 types of fake milk powder on the market, how dangerous are they, how to recognize them?

Dismantling a production line of nearly 600 types of fake milk powder, earning nearly 500 billion VND - Photo: TTO

Announcement one way, product another

Initially, the police agency determined that from August 2021 to present, Rance Pharma International Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company and Hacofood Group Nutrition Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company have produced 573 brands of various types of powdered milk.

In particular, this company produces milk for people with diabetes, kidney failure, premature babies, and pregnant women.

The police determined that the quality indicators of some substances in the powdered milk were below 70% of the declared level, enough to be identified as counterfeit goods.

The ingredients are declared as bird's nest extract, cordyceps, macadamia powder, walnut powder... But in reality, these substances are completely absent.

The suspects discarded some raw materials and replaced them with additives. Over the course of four years, the suspects sold various types of milk to the market, generating nearly VND500 billion in revenue.

This information makes consumers confused, especially milk for pregnant women, premature babies...

According to Dr. Truong Hong Son, director of the Vietnam Institute of Applied Nutrition, in terms of nutritional content, low-quality milk and fake milk may not provide enough energy or vitamins and minerals as stated on the ingredient list on the box.

According to the authorities, the milk produced by these two companies, although announced to be extracted from bird's nest, cordyceps, etc., is actually not contained in the product.

This makes consumers misunderstand the nutritional content of milk, ignoring the supplementation from other food sources. Therefore, when using this type of milk, the elderly and children are at high risk of nutritional deficiencies or malnutrition.

"At the same time, if the production and packaging process is not closed and does not ensure food safety and hygiene standards, milk can easily be contaminated with bacteria and mold, causing users to experience problems such as digestive disorders, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, allergies, and even poisoning," said Dr. Son.

How to recognize poor quality milk?

Nowadays, milk is an essential source of nutrition in the daily diet, especially for children and the elderly.

To distinguish between quality milk and poor quality milk, fake milk, consumers should note that fake milk is often only advertised and sold on social networks, and is hardly advertised on mainstream media and reliable platforms.

"When buying milk, you should carefully read the information on the packaging and box such as: product name, name and address, contact phone numbers of the manufacturer, importer and distributor, expiry date, nutritional ingredients table. If it is imported milk, it must have a secondary label in Vietnamese.

If you see that the product packaging is smudged, not sharp, or has signs of erasure or the box is dented... then you should absolutely not buy this type of milk," Dr. Son recommends.

In addition, when opening a milk carton or mixing milk, consumers can observe and distinguish between quality milk and poor quality milk through the following signs:

- Real milk is usually light yellow, has a light aroma, is smooth, and does not clump. When mixed, the milk usually dissolves slowly and the milk particles are usually suspended in the cup, without sediment.

- Poor quality milk is often darker yellow or white, with a strong aroma. When mixed, this type of milk often dissolves quickly and settles to the bottom of the cup.

According to experts, it is very difficult for consumers to recognize low-quality milk products with ingredients that are not as advertised. Only when the authorities specifically test each milk ingredient can they detect it.

Therefore, authorities need to increase inspection and examination to ensure consumer rights.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/600-loai-sua-bot-gia-ra-thi-truong-nguy-hai-the-nao-lam-sao-de-nhan-biet-20250412153652323.htm