Investigating the bovine milk value chain of Hyderabad, India, with a focus on child stunting

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dc.creatorHäsler, Barbara
dc.creatorRamachandrappa, N.K.
dc.creatorRotta, S.
dc.creatorKonapur, A.
dc.creatorRavichandran, T.
dc.creatorDominguez-Salas, Paula
dc.creatorFoster, D.
dc.creatorClaron, M.
dc.creatorGrace, Delia
dc.creatorValidandi, V.
dc.creatorMoodley, Arshnee
dc.creatorOchieng, Linnet
dc.creatorBosire, Caroline
dc.creatorAugustine, L.F.
dc.creatorHeffernan, C.
dc.creatorBanjara, S.K.
dc.creatorKulkarni, B.
dc.date2026-05-14
dc.date2026-06-04T07:27:47Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T16:59:25Z
dc.descriptionBovine milk has shown a positive association with child growth rates, but access in Hyderabad, India, is variable and milk-borne hazards are of concern. The aim of this study was to investigate how milk value chains (VCs) in urban Hyderabad influence microbiological and toxicological milk safety and their intersection with child stunting. A mixed-methods approach was used, encompassing a thematic reflexive analysis of qualitative interviews conducted with 12 VC key informants and risk-based sampling of 42 milk, 24 animal feed and 20 water samples that were subjected to microbiological and aflatoxin testing. Key themes identified were financial instability, trust-based processes, milk safety concerns and power imbalances in the VCs. The microbiological analysis showed contamination in unpasteurized milk at various nodes, with high levels of total colony count, faecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus and yeast/mould, while water used in the VCs also showed microbial contamination. A total of 67% of dairy feed samples tested positive for total aflatoxins; all of them were within Indian regulatory limits. Opportunities for safer and more nutritious milk that could help to reduce child stunting include improved food safety practices, enhanced awareness of milk-borne hazards, institutional accountability and increased agency of VC actors. This article is part of the theme issue 'Biological, biomedical and environmental drivers of stunting'.
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/183191
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/138984
dc.languageen
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceHäsler, B., Ramachandrappa, N.K., Rotta, S., Konapur, A., Ravichandran, T., Dominguez-Salas, P., Foster, D., Claron, M., Grace, D., Validandi, V., Moodley, A., Ochieng, L., Bosire, C., Augustine, L.F., Heffernan, C., Banjara, S.K. and Kulkarni, B. 2026. Investigating the bovine milk value chain of Hyderabad, India, with a focus on child stunting. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 381(1950):20250046.
dc.subjectaflatoxins
dc.subjectdairying
dc.subjectanimal feeding
dc.subjectmicrobiology
dc.subjectmilk safety
dc.subjectvalue chains
dc.subjectwater
dc.titleInvestigating the bovine milk value chain of Hyderabad, India, with a focus on child stunting
dc.typeJournal Article

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Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Pecuarias (ILRI)