Adultrance in food

How to identify Adultrance

The Objective of this project is to study some of the common adultrance present in different food stuffs.

Adulteration in food is normally present in its most crude form.prohibited substances are either added or partly or wholly substituted. Normally the contamination/adulteration in food is done either for financial gain or due to carelessness and lack in proper hygienic condition of processing, storing, transportation and marketing. This ultimately results that the consumer is either cheated or often become victim of diseases. Such types of adulteration are quite common in developing countries or backward countries. It is equally important for the consumer to know the common adulterants and their effect on health.

Theory

The increasing number of food producers and the outstanding amount of import foodstuffs enables the producers to mislead and cheat consumers. To differentiate those who take advantage of legal rules from the ones who commit food adulteration is very difficult. The consciousness of consumers would be crucial. Ignorance and unfair market behavior may endanger consumer health and misleading can lead to poisoning. So we need simple screening, tests for their detection.

In the past few decades, adulteration of food has become one of the serious problems. Consumption of adulterated food causes serious diseases like cancer, diarrhoea, asthma, ulcers, etc. Majority of fats, oils and butter are paraffin wax, castor oil and hydrocarbons. Red chilli powder is mixed with brick powder and pepper is mixed with dried papaya seeds. These adulterants can be easily identified by simple chemical tests.

Several agencies .have been set up by the Government of India to remove adulterants from food stuffs.

AGMARK – acronym for agricultural marketing  this organization certifies food products for their quality. Its objective is to promote the Grading and Standardization of agricultural and allied commodities.

1

AIM:To detect the presence of adulterants in fat, oil and butter.

REQUIREMENTS : Test-tube, acetic anhydride, conc. H₂SO₄, acetic acid, conc. HNO₃.

PROCEDURE: Common adulterants present in ghee and oil are paraffin wax, hydrocarbons, dyes and argemone oil. These are detected as follows :

(i)  Adulteration of paraffin wax and hydrocarbon in vegetable ghee
Heat small amount of vegetable ghee with acetic anhydride. Droplets
of oil floating on the surface of unused acetic anhydride indicates the
presence of wax or hydrocarbons.

(ii)   Adulteration of dyes in fat

Heat 1mL of fat with a mixture of. 1mL of concsulphuric acid and 4mL of acetic acid. Appearance of pink or red colour indicates presence of dye in fat.

(iii)   Adulteration of argemone oil in edible oils

To small amount of oil in a test-tube, add few drops of conc. HNO₃ and shake. Appearance of red colour in the acid layer indicates presence of argemone oil.

2

AIM: To detect the presence of adulterants in sugar

REQUIREMENTS: Test-tubes, dil. HCl.

PROCEDURE: Sugar is usually contaminated with washing soda and other insoluble substances which are detected as follows :

(i)  Adulteration of chalk powder, washing soda in sugar

To small amount of sugar in a test-tube, add few drops of dil. HCl. Brisk effervescence of CO₂ shows the presence of chalk powder or washing soda in the given sample of sugar.

(ii)   Adulteration of various insoluble substances in sugar

Take small amount of sugar in a test-tube and shake it with little water. Pure sugar dissolves in water but insoluble impurities do not dissolve.

3

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of chilli powder.

REQUIREMENTS:Test-tubes , dil. HNO3.

PROCEDURE:Common adulterants present in chilli powder  are red coloured lead salts, brick powder. They are detected as follows .

(i)   Adulteration of red lead salts in chilli powder

To a sample of chilli powder, add dil. HNO₃. Filter the solution and add 2 drops of potassium iodide solution to the filtrate. Yellow ppt. indicates the presence of lead salts in chilli powder.

(ii)   Adulteration of brick powder in red chilli powder

Add small amount of given red chilli powder in beaker containing water. Brick powder settles at the bottom while pure chilli powder floats over water.

(iii) Adulteration of Oil  solube coal tar colour  in red chilli powder.

Take 2 gms of the samples in a test tube, add few ml of solvent ether and shake, Decant ether layer into a test tube containing 2ml of dilute Hydrochloric acid . Shake it, the lower acid layer wil be coloured distinct pink to red indicating presence of oil soluble colour.

4

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of turmeric powder.

REQUIREMENTS: Test-tubes, conc. HCl.

PROCEDURE: Common adulterants present in  turmeric powder are red coloured yellow lead salts , Chalk  powder.They are detected as follows .

(i)   Adulteration of yellow lead salts to turmeric powder

To a sample of turmeric powder add conc. HCl. Appearance of magenta colour shows the presence of yellow oxides of lead in turmeric powder.

(ii)Adulteration of  Chalk or yellow soap stone powder to turmeric powder

Take a small quantity of turmeric powder in a test tube containing small quantity of water. Add a few drops of conc. HCL, effervescence will indicate the presence of chalk or yellow soap stone powder.

(iii)Adulteration of  Starch of maize, wheat, tapioca, rice  to turmeric powder

A microscopic study reveals that only pure turmeric is yellow coloured, big in size and has an angular structure. While foreign/added starches are colourless and small in size as compared to pure turmeric starch.

5

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of pepper.

(i)   Adulteration of dried papaya seeds in pepper

Add small amount of sample of pepper to a beaker containing water and stir with a glass rod. Dried papaya seeds being lighter float over water while pure pepper settles at the bottom.

(ii)Adulteration of Coated with mineral oilseeds in pepper

Black pepper coated with mineral oil gives Kerosene like smell.

(iii)Adulteration of  Light black pepper in pepper.

Float the sample of black pepper in alcohol (rectified spirit). The mature black pepper beries sink while the papaya seeds and light black pepper float.

6

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of  Cumin seeds(black jeera) .

(i)Adulteration of  Grass seeds coloured with charcoal dust to Cumin seeds

Rub the cumin seeds on palms. If palms turn black adulteration in indicated.

7

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of cloves.

(i) Adulteration of  Volatile oil extracted (exhausted cloves)seeds in Cloves

Exhausted cloves can be identified by its small size and shrunken appearance. The characteristic pungent tests of genuine cloves is less pronounced in exhausted cloves.

8

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of Hing.

(i) Adulteration  of Soap stone or other earthy matter  in Hing.

Shake little portion of the sample with water and allow to settle. Soap stone or other earthy matter will settle down at the bottom.

(ii) Adulteration  of chalk powder in Hing.

Shake sample with Carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄₎. Asafoetida will settle down. Decant the top layer and add dil.HCl to the residue. Effervescence shows presence of  chalk.

9

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of  mustard seed.

(i)Adulteration of Argemone seed in  Mustard seed.

Mustard seeds have a smooth surface. The argemone seed have grainy and rough surface and are black and hence can be separated out by close examination. When Mustard seed is pressed inside it is yellow while for argemone seed it is white.

10

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of  Coriander powder.

(i)Adulteration  of  Dung powder in  Coriander powder.

Soak in water. Dung will float and can be easily detected by its foul smell.

(ii)Adulteration  of Common salt in  Coriander powder.

To 5 ml. Of sample add a few drops of silver nitrate. White precipitate indicates adulteration.

11

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of  Badi Elaichi seeds.

(i)Adulteration  of Choti Elaichi seeds  in  Badi Elaichi seeds.

Separate out the seeds by physical examination. The seeds of BadiElaichi have nearly plain surface without wrinkles or streaks while seeds of cardamom have pitted or wrinkled ends.

12

AIM : To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of  Saffron.

(i)Adulteration of  Dried tendrils of maize cob in  Saffron.

Genuine saffron will not break easily like artificial.

Food Article	Adulterant	Method for detection of Common Adulterants
a.Black pepper	Papaya seeds	Papaya seeds can be separated out from pepper as they are shrunken, greenish brown or brownish black in colour.
	Light black pepper	Float the sample of black pepper in alcohol. The mature black pepper beries sink while  light black pepper float.
	Coated with mineral oil	Black pepper coated with mineral oil gives Kerosene like smell.
b.Cloves	Volatile oil extracted (exhausted cloves)	Exhausted cloves can be identified by its small size and shrunken appearance. The characteristic pungent tests of genuine cloves is less pronounced in exhausted cloves.
c. Mustard seed	Argemone seed	Mustard seeds have a smooth surface. But argemone seed have rough surface and are black and hence can be separated out. When Mustard seed is pressed inside it is yellow while for argemone seed it is white.
d .Chillies powder	Water soluble coal tar colour	They can be detected by sprinkling small quantity of chillies or turmeric powder on the surface of water contained in a glass tumbler. The water soluble colour will immediately start descending in colour streaks.
	Oil solube coat tar colour	Take 2 gms of the samples in a test tube, add few ml of solvent ether and shake, Decant ether layer into a test tube containing 2ml of dilute Hydrochloric acid. Shake it, the lower acid layer wil be coloured distinct pink to red indicating presence of oil soluble colour.
e. Hing	Soap stone or other earthy matter	Shake little portion of the sample with water and allow to settle. Soap stone or other earthy matter will settle down at the bottom.
f. Saffron	Dried tendrils of maize cob	Genuine saffron will not break easily like artificial. Artificial

SPICES AND CONDIMENTS

Selection of wholesome and non-adulterated food is essential for daily life to make sure that such foods do not cause any health hazard. It is not possible to ensure wholesome food only on visual examination when the toxic contaminants are present in ppm level. However, visual examination of the food before purchase makes sure to ensure absence of insects, visual fungus, foreign matters, etc. Therefore, due care taken by the consumer at the time of purchase of food after thoroughly examining can be of great help. Secondly, label declaration on packed food is very important for knowing the ingredients and nutritional value. It also helps in checking the freshness of the food and the period of best before use. The consumer should avoid taking food from an unhygienic place and food being prepared under unhygienic conditions. Such types of food may cause various diseases. Consumption of cut fruits being sold in unhygienic conditions should be avoided. It is always better to buy certified food from reputed shop.

Turmeric is the basic ingredient of all our Indian cooking. Any Indian dish is not complete without it. But before you buy your next quota of this "masala" be careful of what you are buying. It may be adulterated with, Lead chromate, (which adds color as well as weight to it, being heavier), Metanil Yellow dye Or any starch based items like flour or rice powder or even industrial starch. Except flour or rice powder, all the other adulterants are health hazardous and cause irreparable damage to our system when eaten at regular intervals for a long period of time. Take for instance Lead chromate, it is one of the most toxic salts of lead. It can cause anemia, paralyses, mental retardation and brain damage in children and abortion in pregnant women. Metanil yellow dye which is another non-permissible toxic colorant, is used mostly to colorBesan or gram flour, pulses, miscellaneous prepared foods namely sweetmeats like ladoo, burfi, jelabi, dalmoth, papad, etc. to get that attractive deep yellow color. Food grade colors are available in the market but being more costly, traders take advantage of the lackadaisical approach of the law enforcing authorities and substitute it with the said cheap and non-permissible dyes and colors which cause damage to

People health.

While still on "Masalas" or spices, does one know what are the common adulterants, take for instance, for coriander powder or chili powder- sawdust, rice bran and sand. But wait! One cannot even imagine or fathom- horse-dung and cow-dung! This is not only unethical, from the business point of view, but a sin committed against the society at large. Any trader who is found resorting to such means of adulterations should be taken to task very strongly. People should try as far as possible to buy whole spices and grind them at home or purchase properly packed spices (with proper informative labeling) of standard F.P.O. , I.S.I or AGMARK certified companies. 

Dried seeds of volatile oil are added to cloves, while mineral acids to vinegar, papaya seeds to black pepper. Aniseed or 'sauf' that after food tit-bit, is dyed with malachite green dye for that nice green color. In food grains and whole spices extraneous matter like stalks, stems, and foreign seeds are added.

Government or the concern department cannot fully solve the problem of food contamination and adulterations unless the consumer himself becomes conscious of the hazards to health on such consumption and the law which are protecting him under such circumstances. Consumers must know the provisions of the Food Laws and Regulations and how they are protected under the said Law. Only when, the people are aware of their rights to demand pure and nutritive food.