Study Under PM Poshan Scheme Highlights Potential of UHT Milk in Boosting Nutrition in School Children
Verka study: UHT milk widely accepted by Chandigarh schoolkids
'Ensuring access to safe and nutritious milk in schools can be a game-changer for childhood development,' said a Verka spokesperson. 'This study confirms the strong acceptance of UHT milk among students and makes a compelling case for expanding school milk programs across India. By scaling up distribution and integrating milk's nutritional benefits, we can address key public health challenges like malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Stakeholder collaboration remains crucial to ensuring the success of such initiatives.'
Key Findings:
80% of students rated the cardamom-flavored UHT milk from Verka as highly satisfactory.
69% of children recognized multiple health benefits of milk, with 22% associating it primarily with strong bones.
44% of students consumed milk more than four times a week, while 38% had it two to four times weekly.
82% of children responsibly disposed of empty milk packets in designated bins, reinforcing positive environmental habits.
The study-conducted by Verka in collaboration with Punjab University, the Department of Education (Chandigarh), Tetra Pak, and NGO Yuvsatta-underscores the effectiveness of aseptic UHT milk packaging. This packaging technology ensures food safety and extends shelf life without refrigeration, making it an ideal solution for large-scale school meal programs.
The study calls for an increase in milk distribution days, enhanced awareness campaigns on milk's nutritional benefits, and the addition of complementary nutritious foods to improve overall dietary diversity. Regular monitoring and continuous stakeholder engagement are also recommended to strengthen program implementation.
School Milk Program by Verka
Milk Fed Punjabs Verka brand recently piloted a school milk program to support the PM Poshan scheme in schools. Through this initiative, students in Chandigarh received nutritious milk in Tetra Pak cartons. After consumption, these used cartons were collected by a local NGO and collection agencies and recycled into various useful items such as notebooks, planters, school desks and more. To encourage milk consumption among school kids, Verka made milk available in cardamom (elaichi) flavor to begin with, making it more appealing to children.
In addition to providing much needed nutrition to children, this school milk initiative served as an educational opportunity for children, teaching them the importance of responsible consumption and planet-friendly practices like recycling.
Global Context: A Growing Case for School Milk Programs
The International Dairy Federation (IDF) advocates for school milk programs as a solution to nutritional deficiencies and food education-helping millions of children worldwide understand the impact of food on health, society, and the environment. Countries like USA and China have successfully integrated milk into their school meal programs, significantly improving childhood nutrition and academic performance.
India now has an opportunity to scale its school feeding programs by fostering partnerships between government bodies, dairy cooperatives like Verka, and technology providers such as Tetra Pak. With the right ecosystem, the country can create a sustainable and impactful model for school nutrition, ensuring better health outcomes for future generations.
To access the full report, please visit the Verka website
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
08-08-2025
- Economic Times
US hit by summer Covid surge? Check states on high-risk list, symptoms and preventive measures
Synopsis The US is experiencing a summer surge in COVID-19 cases, with infections rising in 40 states, particularly in the South and West. New variants like Nimbus and Stratus are driving the increase, causing symptoms similar to previous Omicron strains. The symptoms of Covid include sore throat, fever of chills, headache and more. Reuters Covid-19 is trending up in many mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southern, and West Coast states Is the United States seeing a surge in the Covid cases during the Summer season? The answer is Yes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US is currently experiencing a summer surge in infections.A summer wave of Covid-19 appears to be sweeping across the United States of America, with data showing cases are rising in the country and emergency room visits are up among all age groups. The number of people with COVID-19 in the U.S. is low but increasing, according to CDC data released recently. Covid-19 is trending up in many mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Southern, and West Coast states, reported The Hill. The agency said infections are 'growing or likely growing' in 40 states, based on emergency department visit data as of July 29. Infections were unchanged in nine states.A recent uptick in transmission fueled by highly contagious new variants is causing an increasing number of Americans to come down with sore throats, fevers and other COVID symptoms. The CDC has flagged that the weekly percentage of emergency department visits among people diagnosed with COVID-19 is low but growing. Visits were highest for children younger than 4 years old, which experts said makes sense because many remain unvaccinated. ALSO READ: $1,702 stimulus check in August: Last chance to apply for PDF closes soon. Check key dates, eligibility, tax implication Although the CDC says the level of COVID viral activity in wastewater remains 'low' nationally, at least 10 states are reporting "high" or "very high" levels as of July 12. Hard-hit states include California, Florida and Texas. The CDC reports that coronavirus viral activity in wastewater is currently low nationwide, with only Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, California, Alaska, and Texas recording 'high' or 'very high' levels."We are seeing an increase in COVID-19 with higher SARS-CoV-2 virus activity in wastewater and small rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations," Dr. Albert Ko, professor of public health, epidemiology and medicine at Yale School of Public Health, tells virus that causes COVID-19, called SARS-CoV-2, continues to mutate, giving rise to highly transmissible new variants that have evolved to better evade immunity. These include NB.1.8.1 aka "Nimbus," which causes a painful 'razor blade throat." Nimbus is now the dominant variant in the U.S., accounting for 43% of cases as of June 21, per the latest CDC a new variant with a similar cloud-themed nickname, XFG, aka "Stratus," is spreading rapidly worldwide and causing an increasing proportion of cases in the U.S. Stratus is now the third most prevalent strain, nationally.'NB.1.18.1 (Nimbus) and XFG (Stratus) appear to be more transmissible compared to other variants,' says Ko. ALSO READ: Teens can be ICE agents as US drops age cap. Check eligibility criteria, benefits and more The recent rise in COVID-19 cases marks the beginning of an expected summer wave in the U.S., Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told the past four years, there have been two waves of COVID each year. It's like a two-hump camel. There's the summer wave that abates in the fall, and then the winter wave,' says Schaffner. Covid activity tends to ramp up in the mid-summer, when travel peaks and people are increasingly gathering indoors in the air-conditioning.'We have been anticipating this rise, and this is just about the time when we would expect to see it,' Schaffner present, Covid-19 cases are highest in the West and South, but this may change as the summer wave continues, experts say. The list of affected states are:ConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIndianaKentuckyLouisianaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaWashingtonWisconsinAdditionally, wastewater surveillance data from the CDC as of July 29 show the states with the highest wastewater levels of SARS-CoV-2 are Alabama, Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii. Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas. ALSO READ: Deadly Legionnaire's disease outbreak in New York kills 3 and symptoms are similar to Covid. How you can protect yourself The Stratus and Nimbus variants appear to be causing symptoms similar to those caused by recent omicron throatFever or chillsCoughShortness of breathHeadacheMuscle achesCongestion or runny noseFatigueNew loss of sense of smell or tasteNausea or vomitingDiarrheaDuring a summer surge, there are simple actions people can take to protect themselves and others from COVID-19, the experts up to date on COVID if you have symptoms or a COVID if you're an N95 mask in crowded, indoor social distancing.
India Today
08-08-2025
- India Today
Paneer and ghee most adulterated foods: Is homemade the safer option?
Paneer, the go-to protein source for vegetarians, is back in the spotlight, but not for good reason. Often used in daily Indian meals, or as a special shahi spread, this much-loved dairy item has come under scrutiny in Punjab after a large-scale quality test revealed that more than one-third of paneer samples were to a recent report by the Punjab Health Department, out of 531 paneer samples tested, 196 failed the quality test, and 59 were declared unsafe for consumption. The reason? Use of starch and harmful chemicals in Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh didn't mince words when he said that these chemicals should not have been used for making paneer. "I advise people to make their own paneer at home or buy it from a certified brand like the Punjab government-owned Verka. One should minimise the purchase of paneer from the market. Earlier, women used to make paneer by boiling curdled milk at home. The same method should be put to use," he said. In the testing process, ghee didn't fare much better. Out of 222 ghee samples tested, 20 were substandard, and 28 were unsafe. And Dr. Singh had something to say about that too, especially the much-hyped A2 ghee.'There is nothing like A2 ghee,' he clarified. 'We have seen vendors selling it for Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per kg. The truth is, there is no such product as A2 ghee; it's just like A1 ghee. Do not get misled. Either buy from Milkfed or make it at home. There is no rocket science in this.'Prachi Jain, Chief Clinical Nutritionist at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, agrees with the idea of homemade dairy. "In homemade paneer or ghee, you have control over the ingredients,' she tells 'You can use good-quality milk, preferably organic. This avoids adulteration with starch, synthetic solids, or poor-quality fats often added in commercial items.'She also points out the added benefits: 'When made at home, these items are preservative-free. Market-bought paneer and ghee could contain anti-foam agents, bleaching chemicals, or additives to extend shelf life or improve appearance.'Homemade dairy also scores on freshness and hygiene. You can maintain cleanliness at each step, from boiling the milk to filtering ghee. You also get to enjoy a better taste, smell, and nutrient another often-ignored factor: paneer sometimes contains added salt for flavour and preservation, but homemade versions are naturally low in sodium, unless you add it aside, there's also the taste and texture. 'You can tweak the firmness of paneer depending on whether you want to grill it or use it in curries,' Prachi said. 'Similarly, ghee can be light and mildly aromatic or deeply browned—your kitchen, your rules.'But is it really practical to make paneer and ghee at home? While it's the safest option, the process demands time, effort, and a lot of milk, something that doesn't quite fit into everyone's busy you can spare the effort, making your own paneer and ghee might be the healthiest, and safest, choice. Because with rising cases of adulteration, the risk might not be worth the convenience.- EndsTrending Reel
Indian Express
07-08-2025
- Indian Express
Over one-third paneer samples failed test, don't buy from market, make your own: Balbir
Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Wednesday advised people of the state to prepare their own paneer (cottage cheese) and desi ghee (clarified butter) at home as the state government noticed 'maximum adulteration' in these two products. Addressing mediapersons in Chandigarh on Wednesday, the minister divulged that out of 531 paneer samples tested by the department of health, 196 failed (more than one third) the quality test, and 59 were unsafe for consumption as starch and harmful chemicals were used in the making of paneer. 'These chemicals should not have been used for making paneer. I advise people to make their own paneer at home or buy it from a certified brand like the Punjab government-owned Verka. One should minimise the purchase of paneer from the market. Earlier, the women used to make paneer by boiling curdled milk at home. The same method should be put to use and paneer should be made at home.' The health minister said the second biggest substandard and spurious item in the market was desi ghee. 'Desi ghee is the second most adulterated food product after paneer. We had filled 222 samples of desi ghee from the market, of that 20 samples (9 per cent) were substandard and 28 were unsafe for consumption,' he said. The health minister said, 'There is nothing like A2 ghee. We have seen vendors selling A2 ghee for Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 per kg. The truth is, there is no such product as A2 ghee; it's just like A1 ghee. Do not get misled. Either buy from Milkfed or make it at home. There is no rocket science in this. Earlier, households used to make their own desi ghee. It is better to buy milk with fat, remove the fat and then make paneer and ghee. Both these products are the most adulterated.' Dr Balbir, however, said the quality of milk improved in the recent past, 'with 484 samples failing test out of 1,400 in 2022-23 to 88 failing tests out of 654 in 2023-24 and 82 failing tests out of 310 in 2024-25'. He said adulteration was also found in 'masalas' (spices) like 'haldi' (turmeric) and 'deghi mirch'. 'Fruits and vegetables did not have much of a problem. Calcium Carbide is an issue which we keep checking. Now, we have ripening chambers as gas is being used, which is permitted. We can consume more fruits. Vegetables and salads are also safer,' he said. The minister said the government had tightened the noose around those adulterating the food products. 'We have got 145 persons convicted with six months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 4.75 lakh during the last year.' The health minister asked the people of the state to get their food products tested by food safety vans in the districts. 'They charge only Rs 50 for each sample. It is better to be aware and get the food products tested. We are telling people about safe food. They should opt for foods with low glycaemic index (GI), freshly cooked food and consume 50 per cent fruits and vegetables. This way we can ward off many diseases,' he added. Additionally, over 13,000 samples have been screened for adulteration on food safety on wheels so far, he said, adding that the major categories include paneer, ghee, milk, spices, fruits and vegetables and sweets.
