The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned about the presence of counterfeit or substandard formula milk in many countries, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, where e-commerce controls are still lacking.

A study by the Australian Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition found that children who drink substandard formula milk for a long time will face the risk of liver and kidney damage, immune deficiency and slow physical and mental development.

Even if the milk is cross-contaminated, contains impurities or banned substances such as melamine, as in the scandal in China in 2008, the consequences can be so serious as to cause death.

5 Ways to Distinguish Real and Fake Powdered Milk

Dr. Julia Evans, a nutritionist from the British Dietetic Association (BDA), shared: "Fake powdered milk often takes advantage of consumers' desire for cheapness and lack of vigilance. However, if you are observant, you can still identify an unusual product from the first use."

Dr. Julia Evans, a nutritionist from the British Dietetic Association (BDA), shared: "Fake powdered milk often takes advantage of consumers' desire for cheapness and lack of vigilance. However, if you are observant, you can still identify an unusual product from the first use."
Here are 5 signs that Dr. Evans recommends parents pay special attention to:

1. Check the packaging carefully

Fake milk often imitates the packaging very similar to the real product. However, if you observe carefully, you can detect differences such as blurred printed colors, blurred or unclear fonts, blurred logos, missing anti-counterfeit stamps or stamps that are crooked or peeling. Details such as barcodes and expiration dates may also be printed incorrectly or blurred.

2. Check the authentication stamp

Many reputable milk brands today have integrated QR codes, SMS authentication codes or broken reflective stamps. When purchasing a product, consumers should look up the code to verify the origin. If the system reports "non-existent", duplicate codes or unrecognizable, you should stop using it immediately.

3. Observe the smell, color and solubility

Real milk is usually ivory or light yellow in color and has a characteristic light aroma. When mixed with warm water, the milk will dissolve evenly without clumping. Fake milk often has a fishy or slightly foul smell, is pale white or too dark in color, is difficult to dissolve and leaves a lot of residue.

4. Monitor the drinker's reaction

If the child shows signs such as diarrhea, vomiting, redness around the mouth, laziness to breastfeed, or slow weight gain after changing milk, parents should suspect that the product may not be of good quality. Although it is not always fake milk, this is a warning sign that needs attention.

5. Where to buy - an important factor

Dr. Robert Simmons, a food safety expert at Yale University (USA), said: "Most fake products are sold through unofficial channels: personal shops on social networks, uncontrolled e-commerce platforms, or hand-carried people without clear invoices."

He recommends that you should only buy milk at reputable stores, authorized distributors, or large supermarkets with return commitments and valid invoices.

According to a survey from Consumer Health Review (UK), 83% of parents cannot distinguish fake milk just by the outer packaging. This is the reason why many families accidentally use fake products for a long time without knowing it.

"Cheap does not mean cheap. If fake milk causes your child to be malnourished, suffer digestive disorders or require medical treatment, the cost will be many times higher," Dr Julia Evans stressed.