Kampala — THE Dairy Development Authority (DDA) has closed 72 dairy outlets in Kampala over failure to abide by the dairy regulations.

Dr. Nathan Twinamasiko, the DDA executive director, made the directive at a meeting of the members of Uganda National Dairy Traders Association (UNATA) at the authority offices.

"We shall arrest whoever defies the order or make them pay a fine. The milk transporters are also going to be dealt with," said Twinamasiko.

Many outlets lacked basic hygienic and sanitary requirements, while others had drainage channels passing underneath. All these lead to bacterial infections like brucellosis.

"How do you make raw milk share a freezer with beef, eggs, beer, soda, passion fruits, sauce pans and shoes?" He asked.

"We communicated to 75 of your members (about the meeting), but only a few have turned up. We have given you enough time to improve but the majority have failed," Twinamasiko said.

"On several inspections, milk samples from your outlets have shown you add water to the milk. A growing child needs all the nutrients in the milk. How can breast-feeding mothers afford baby formula milk of sh25,000?" asked Agnes Audax Baguma, the DDA quality and regulatory manager.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation recommends a per capita consumption of 200 litres of milk per person per year. The average Ugandan takes 40 litres.

"Most times, milk is left uncovered. A number of the freezers have green fungal growth," Baguma noted.

Fungi contaminate milk with mycotoxins, which is a source of food poisoning, destroying the liver and the kidneys.

Baguma cautioned members against using jerrycans to store milk saying, they release chemicals as their temperature drops. "The chemicals are non bio-degradable and accumulate in a person leading to cancer."

She said only 10 out of 82 outlets passed the October inspection.