In healthy indigenous (desi) zebu cows free from subclinical mastitis, the normal baseline somatic cell count (SCC) in milk typically ranges between 1.0 to 1.5 lakh (100,000 to 150,000) cells per ml of milk.

Formalin (37–40% formaldehyde solution) is used as a chemical preservative for milk samples tested for chemical composition (fat, SNF) at the standard rate of 0.4 ml per 100 ml of milk (or 0.1 ml per 25 ml milk).

The diphenylamine test detects adulteration of milk with untreated pond/river water based on the reaction of diphenylamine reagent in concentrated sulfuric acid with nitrates/nitrites commonly present in pond water, forming an intense blue color.