Nutritional Quality, Level of Chemical Contaminants and Adulterants in Milk and Dairy Products in Ethiopia: A Review

Abstract

Milk is a highly nutritious food, and it is a source of necessary macro and micro-nutrients for the growth, development and maintenance of human health. However the quality and safety of milk and dairy products become major health concern for consumers particularly to infants and children. This paper attempts to review the state of knowledge on nutritional quality, chemical contaminants and adulterants of milk and dairy products in Ethiopia. It also focuses on the method for analysis and identifies gaps for future work. Some work has been done in nutritional quality of milk and dairy products. The nutritional quality of Ethiopian milk products are substandard due to poor hygienic practices and water adulteration at farm level and value chain actors. Few of the research results reviewed for aflatoxin M 1 , organochlorine pesticide, heavy metals and antibiotic residues exceed international maximum permissible limit standards. The use of adulterants for economic gain is adding of water (dilution) in raw milk. In general there are limited reports in chemical contaminants in the country. Further research is required on quantification, implementation of monitoring and controlling system to improve the quality and safety of milk products across value chain in the regions of the country.