UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Bitter milk

Q1. With reference to the use of glycols in dairy cold-chain refrigeration, as highlighted by the 2026 Rajamahendravaram milk contamination incident, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. Ethylene glycol, on ingestion, is metabolised in the human body into oxalic acid, which can precipitate acute renal failure.
  2. Propylene glycol is recognised as a food-safe ('Generally Recognised As Safe') coolant, whereas ethylene glycol is not permitted in food-contact refrigeration systems.
  3. Ethylene glycol is the prescribed food-grade refrigerant for dairy units, while propylene glycol is restricted to closed-loop industrial cooling.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. With reference to the institutional and statutory framework that governs milk safety in India, which of the following statements are correctly identified?

  1. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
  2. FSSAI functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
  3. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 consolidated and replaced earlier laws including the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954.
  4. Compositional standards for milk and milk products in India are laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards under the BIS Act, and not by FSSAI.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q3. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which led the investigation into the 2026 Rajamahendravaram ethylene-glycol milk contamination, functions under the administrative control of which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Food Processing Industries
  • B. Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
  • C. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
  • D. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

Q4. In the context of the 2026 Rajamahendravaram dairy tragedy, the term 'ethylene glycol' is best described as:

  • A. A food-grade emulsifier permitted by FSSAI for extending the shelf-life of standardised milk
  • B. A toxic industrial coolant used in refrigeration systems, which is metabolised in humans into oxalic acid and can cause acute renal failure
  • C. A naturally occurring sugar alcohol present in cow's milk that produces a bitter taste during microbial spoilage
  • D. A residual detergent compound left behind by improper rinsing of stainless-steel milk cans
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