TEST RESULTS FOR PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS

Milk Fat | Solids Not Fat | Milk Protein | Calcium | Carbohydrates | Saturated Fat | Acidity as Lactic Acid | Phosphorus | Cholesterol | Whey

Milk Fat Fat is an essential part of any balanced diet, providing essential fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and a concentrated source of energy. As per FSS Regulations and Indian Standard, curd should have the same minimum percentage of milk fat as the milk from which it is prepared. If the curd is sold or offered for sale without any indication of class of milk, the standards prescribed for curd prepared from buffalo milk will apply.

As per their declaration, all the brands of plain curd have been made from toned milk and the probiotic curd are from double-toned milk. The minimum requirement for milk fat is 3 per cent for toned milk and 1.5 per cent for double-toned milk. • All brands fulfilled the minimum requirement for

milk fat content. • Namaste India (3.6 per cent) had the highest amount of milk fat among all the tested brands. Nestle a+ Nourish with 3.2 per cent came next. As per Dietary Guidelines for Indians by National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad, 2011, diets of young children and adolescents should contain about 30 grams to 50 grams fat per day. So, a higher amount of milk fat is better for young consumers. Solids Not Fat (SNF) Apart from fat, all other solids such as protein, lactose, vitamins and minerals together make up solids not fat. SNF is the most essential part of the milk. As all nutrients are required by the body, higher SNF quantity is better.

As per Indian Standard, dahi should have the same minimum percentage of SNF as the milk from which it is prepared. As mentioned earlier, all the brands of plain curd have been made from toned milk Milk Protein Proteins are an extremely important class of naturally occurring compounds that are essential to all life processes. They perform a variety of functions in living organisms. As yet, there is no requirement in the Indian Standard for protein content in curd. We checked the brands on their declared values. • Protein content in all the brands was close to their

declared value. • Mother Dairy Advanced and Namaste India had highest protein content. Protein percentage in Britannia (plain curd) was found to be slightly less than its claim.

Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches and fibres found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products. Carbohydrates are a source of energy and expected to be higher in curd. Lactose is the major carbohydrate fraction in milk. • Carbohydrates amount was highest in Nestle a+ Actiplus (6.9 per cent) among the probiotic brands and in Gowardhan (6 per cent) among the plain curd brands.