Status : Verified
| Personal Name | Abenoja, Jermina Yianna L. |
|---|---|
| Resource Title | Assessing quality and authenticity: a study of carabao’s milk in Laguna’s retail outlets |
| Date Issued | 9 June 2025 |
| Abstract | Milk adulteration remains a prevalent form of food fraud, often driven by economic gain, perceived quality enhancement, and volume expansion through the addition of inexpensive adulterants. Carabao’s milk (water buffalo milk), a dietary staple in the Philippines, is not exempt from such practices—particularly with the rise of unlabeled products sold through online platforms. This study assessed the quality and authenticity of four commercially available carabao’s milk samples obtained from both physical and online retail outlets in the province of Laguna. The analysis was conducted in two phases: market characterization and authenticity assessment. Market characterization involved a review of product attributes, packaging, labeling, distribution mechanisms, and promotional strategies. Results showed that 3 out of 4 of the samples were noncompliant with established packaging and labeling standards, particularly in terms of missing nutritional labels, expiration dates, and storage instructions. For the authenticity assessment, simple, consumer-accessible qualitative tests were used to detect common adulterants such as starch, added water, and detergents. Two samples tested positive for adulteration: one for starch and one for added water. These results were validated through physicochemical analyses, which revealed deviations from standard values in fat content (9.88%), protein (3.79%), and density (1.0255 g/mL) in the adulterated samples. The findings underscore the inadequate enforcement of labeling regulations and the vulnerability of consumers to adulterated milk products. This highlights regulatory gaps and the urgent need for enhanced monitoring, particularly in informal and digital dairy markets, as well as greater public awareness regarding milk quality and authenticity. |
| Degree Course | Bachelor of Science in Food Technology |
| Language | English |
| Keyword | Milk adulteration; Carabao’s milk; Authenticity assessment; Labeling compliance; Physicochemical analysis; Regulatory framework; Consumer safety; Food fraud—Philippines; Food—Labeling |
| Material Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
Preliminary Pages
696.66 Kb
Category : F - Regular work, i.e., it has no patentable invention or creation, the author does not wish for personal publication, there is no confidential information.
Access Permission : Open Access