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On February 7, 2026 (Friday), Gujarat Police—during a shocking food safety investigation—broke into a so-called adulterated milk factory at the Salal village within Prantij taluka, Sabarkantha district. The unit was reportedly producing and, over a period of almost five years, supplying synthetic or fake milk (commonly referred to in viral posts as "fade milk" because of its dilute, chemically modified look) that contained harmful chemicals.

A joint raid by the Sabarkantha Local Crime Branch (LCB), the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), and the food safety officials following some intelligence from the locals revealed a big racket. The plant relied on only 300 liters of pure milk per day in order to manufacture the 1,700-1,800 liters of normal milk and buttermilk with the help of water, skimmed milk powder, whey powder, caustic soda, refined palmolein oil, refined soybean oil, detergent powder, and urea fertilizer. The chemicals were also used to artificially increase thickness, foam, protein readings, color, and volume to deceive consumers that it is a genuine dairy product.

The contaminated foods were sold in the villages and towns of the Sabarkantha and Mehsana districts, so the inhabitants could have well spent years with bad milk and buttermilk in the bloodstream. Long-term effects on health lead to severe health problems, such as damage to the kidney, digestive problems, and even cancer risks (a consequence of using urea) and chemical poisoning, which is especially harmful in children and aged people.

Police officers confiscated the following during the raid:

• Approximately 2000 liters of contaminated milk.
• More than 1100 liters of imitated buttermilk.
• Stocks of adulterants (urea, detergent powder, caustic soda, oils, and milk powders) worth about 71 lakh.

Arrests were made of the five people, one of whom was a juvenile worker; the owner of the factory is escaping, and he is being hunted. A case has been registered in pertinent provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act and other regulations. The supply chain and possible health effects on the consumers are investigated, and the unit was sealed.

The social media was in an uproar, and the people described it as a public health emergency, prompting queries into how it could have taken lax actions against the food safety officials in Gujarat, a state that is usually boasted to have strong governance. The raid spread on the internet videos by netizens and captured chemicals, indicating that milk adulteration is a chronic problem in India, despite stringent legislation.

There is an emphasis in this bust with respect to the current fight against food fraud in India, where milk ranks on the list of adulterated products. Governments encouraged individuals to purchase what was sourced and communicate suspicions.