Our daily dose of antibiotics

In 2018, when Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) tested milk samples from organised and unorganised sectors across the country, it found 77 of them had antibiotic residues beyond permissible limits. But the food regulator did not disclose the antibiotics that were detected or names of the brands tested.

Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) filed a Right to Information application, but did not receive clear answers despite several follow-ups and an appeal.

To understand the reasons for antibiotic misuse and its presence in milk, CSE spoke to a wide range of stakeholders across the country, including farmers of high milk-producing states — Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.