Who should enforce the law concerning milk trade?

SIR-On May 30, someone wrote an article "Poorly treated milk flooding Kampala". I agree with the writer. A lot of milk in Kampala suburbs is transported unhygenically. This milk is further treated crudely and unethically. Because of the above malpractice, consumers pay for milk which is below the stipulated standards. That is, full of added water and of poor microbiological status. The naked eye cannot notice these anomalies. Some experts need to come to the rescue of the innocent consumers and consistently take random samples; and either condemn, or pass the milk for onward sales to the consumers. To make it worse, the price of this unprocessed low grade milk sold by largely unlicenced vendors is the same (or thereabout) with that of pasteurised, homogenised milk which goes through expensive, controlled processing, like pasteurisation, standardisation and homogenisation. The factory manufactured milk makes sure all pathogens in milk are destroyed while at the same time preserving the natural content and the nutritive value of their products. I know that many consumers will ask, "What is wrong with this fresh milk we buy from the coolers or direct from the vendors?" These are some of the wrong things with that type of milk: * In most cases, the milk is heavily adulterated to increase volume so that the unscrupulous dealers falsely earn much money. * Cooling milk does not improve its original quality, it only stagnates further growth of spoilage microbes. * Locally boiled milk usually develops cooked flavour, resulting in milk-tea with burnt taste. lLocally boiled milk usually has its protein destroyed thereby drastically reducing its nutritive value. * Locally boiled milk usually suffers discolouration. * If milk had already started to deteriorate microbiologically, hard boiling will form small clots which the sellers will claim to be fat particles. Most of these vendors are neither trained in the handling of milk nor checked for communicable diseases like TB which can be transmitted through milk, the dirty environment notwithstanding. The authentic milk processors who invest in very expensive machinery and skilled manpower, plus the tax they pay to government stand to lose if no action is taken to streamline milk trade in Uganda. The law is in place; it only needs enforcement. For instance, the National Bureau of Standards has the power to enter the premises where goods are kept, manufactured, produced, processed or treated, examine the premises and contents and if necessary carry away any suspected commodity. Now with the Dairy Development Authority in place, checks and balances on milk should even be more effective than ever. Frank O. Anywar Lacto-Talents (U) Ltd Kampala