Results from portable and of low cost equipment developed for detection of milk adulterations

Abstract

This work presents the results of a device, MilkTech, developed to detect milk tampering, based on electrical measurements. The device indicates possible frauds by water, sodium chloride, caustic soda, ethyl alcohol and sodium bicarbonate. The advantages in relation to traditional methods are portability, low cost and detection of mixed frauds. The experiments were conducted in dairy plants at Governador Valadares, in Brazil. The results were compared with cryoscopy and chloride tests. It is demonstrated there is high correlation between MilkTech and Cryoscopy. For instance, the detection limit of the equipment for water addition with the set of analyzed data was 0.78% with precision of 1.1%. Adulterations with sodium chloride, caustic soda, ethyl alcohol and sodium bicarbonate are detected qualitatively, even when added with water, and MilkTech indicates “SUSPECT” milk.