QuantM: A game-changer for milk safety and farmer livelihoods

Packaged milk sales are growing steadily across India, yet nearly 70% of milk is still traded through informal channels where quality checks are minimal. One of the biggest challenges facing the dairy industry is mastitis — an infection of the mammary gland in dairy animals. It has plagued the sector for decades, causing both visible and hidden losses.

The worst affected are small and marginal farmers, who own 60% of the country’s female cattle and buffaloes, with their livelihoods often hanging in the balance. According to government estimates, udder infections cost the dairy sector ₹6,053.21 crore annually, with sub-clinical mastitis accounting for up to 80% of these losses. Making it complicated is traditional tests for mastitis being either insensitive in early stages or too expensive for routine field use.

Now, scientists at the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) in Hyderabad have unveiled QuantM — a portable, low-cost device that can detect somatic cells in milk on-site. High somatic cell counts indicate microbial contamination and reduced nutritional quality, posing risks especially to children and vulnerable populations.

Quick, field-level monitoring of SCC (Somatic Cell Count) can enhance milk safety, extend shelf life, and restore consumer confidence, said researchers. “QuantM precisely fills this gap. It is affordable, rapid, and accurately detects SCC — the global gold standard for milk quality and udder health — right at the farm gate,” said lead researcher and scientist Pankaj Suman.

How QuantM Works

QuantM uses positively charged iron oxide nanoparticles that bind to negatively charged somatic cells in milk. A surfactant helps these cells aggregate. An integrated optical system captures images of the clusters, and a built-in algorithm analyzes the data to deliver an ‘SCC’ reading.

“QuantM can detect as few as 0.017 million cells per ml — comparable to flow cytometry but at a fraction of the cost,” said device innovator and scientist Yathirajarao Tammineni. Results are available within 10 minutes, and each test costs less than ₹10, making it accessible even to the smallest dairy operations.

What makes the innovation even more powerful is its integration with NIAB’s rapid antimicrobial sensitivity kit — CureCheck. Together, they can confirm both the presence of mastitis and the most effective treatment within two hours — a process that typically takes two to three days in conventional labs.

With each combined test costing under ₹70 and the device priced at around ₹15,000, scientists say QuantM could be a game-changer for India’s smallholder dairy farmers, helping them cut losses, reduce antibiotic misuse, and deliver better-quality milk to consumers.

“This method is a major breakthrough for farmers and consumers. It promises safer milk for every household, supports national efforts against anti-microbial resistance (AMR), and boosts the socio-economic standing of millions of small and marginal dairy farmers,” said Dr. Suman. “Early detection of microbial contamination means fewer unnecessary antibiotics, which helps slow the spread of AMR that can pass from animals to humans,” he added.

Global health challenge

This is especially urgent as India and the world grapple with rising AMR — a threat the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified as one of the top global health challenges. Last month, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology Jitender Singh formally launched QuantM and related technologies during his visit to NIAB.

NIAB has also partnered with ACS Neoteric Technologies for commercial scale-up, ensuring the device reaches farmers, cooperatives, and milk collection centres nationwide. “This device reflects NIAB’s mission to deliver affordable biotechnology solutions for animal health and food safety. QuantM will not only ensure safer milk for every household but also contribute to national efforts against anti-microbial resistance,” said scientists.