Curd (Dahi)

Health food, yes, but is it adulteration-free?

Any number of health benefits are attributed to good old curd. Heart health, bone health, teeth health, immunity boost, you name it. Moreover, the nutrients present in curd are easily absorbed by your digestive system. Not only that, it also helps in absorbing nutrients from other food items that you have eaten. Eat it with spicy food, bland food, neutral food, the curd will complement most of them. Then there are the good bacteria that curd brings to your system. Curd can be one of the best sources of good bacteria. The following report covers 2 brands of probiotic curd and 10 of plain curd. With any number of brands out there laying claims to health and taste, it may be useful to know the parameters with which to assess their quality, safety and acceptability. A couple of findings from our test results will reveal to us that the important determinants of quality vary across brands. A Consumer Voice Report

The plain curd brands were prepared from toned milk, while the probiotic brands were prepared from double-toned milk. As per our standard procedure, we undertook market research to identify the regular-selling brands of curd across the country. We tested the 12 samples on various quality, safety and acceptability parameters. The key parameters included milk fat, solids not fat (SNF), milk protein, calcium, phosphorus, carbohydrates, cholesterol and saturated fats. We also carried out a series of tests to check for presence of heavy metals and microbiological contamination. The testing was conducted at an NABL-accredited laboratory. The samples were tested as per specifications laid out by FSS Regulations, 2011, and Indian Standard IS: 9617.