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Food Adulteration

WHAT IS FOOD EFFECTS IN THE HOW TO DETECT


ADULTERATION HUMAN BODY ADULTERANTS
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WHAT IS FOOD
ADULTERATION
Food adulteration is the process in which the quality of food is
lowered either by the addition of inferior quality material or by
extraction of valuable ingredient. It not only includes the intentional
addition or substitution of the substances but biological and chemical
contamination during the period of growth, storage, processing,
transport and distribution of the food products, is also responsible
for the lowering or degradation of the quality of food products.
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TYPES OF FOOD
ADULTERATION
Intentional adulteration (eg. coloring agents, dyes and starch)
Incidental adulteration (eg. pesticide remains, larvae in food and
droppings of rodents)
Metallic adulteration (eg. lead, arsenic or any other industrial
chemicals)
Packaging Hazards (eg. polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and other
plastic materials)
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MILK
Milk is one of the most adulterated food item across the globe.
The various adulterants that it contains include:
- Water; which is added to increase its volume
- Formalin; enhances the life of milk and is a preservative
- Urea; added until the density of the liquid is similar to milk
- Glucose/Inverted Sugar; added to increase the consistency and
test
- Vanaspati (Vegetable Oil); added to make milk cheaper
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RED CHILLI
POWDER
Red chilli powder is the most commonly used spice in any
Indian household, and is perhaps also the most adulterated
spice. Among the most commonly used adulterants in chilli
powder are sawdust, brick powder and Sudan Red. Most of
these adulterations are added to sell fake chilli powder by
adding these preservatives. Colours are added for the same
purpose and to make it cheaper.
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TURMERIC
POWDER
Turmeric is one of the most important spice in the
kitchen. However, a commonly used adulterant here is
lead chromate, which gives it a bright yellow tinge and
is insoluble in water. Metanil yellow is an adulterant that
has severe effects on the parts of the brain that are
usually irreversible and can cause paralysis.
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EFFECTS ON
HUMAN BODY
Adulterants change the composition of any food item and nutritional
content is lost. This is the reason people are getting prone to health
problems. There are mineral oils which can result in paralysis, cancer and
can cause chronic health problems. There can be a number of reasons of
adulteration like the wrong packaging, use of insecticides or pesticides
on the food, use of preservatives and lots more and all of them have
harmful effects in our bodies. Unknowingly consumption of adulterated
milk can cause stomach disorders. Turmeric powder contains metanil
yellow, yellow dyes and starch that is highly carcinogenic and cause
stomach disorder. Chilli powder which contains brick powder, saw dust
and artificial colours can cause cancer and stomach disorders.
DETECTION METHODS 7
FOR MILK

With some simple methods, you can test for the


presence of adulterants. There are many methods, few
of them are listed below. To test for adulterants in Milk,
we carried out the following tests:

-Test for Formalin: Take 10 ml of milk in a test tube


and add 5 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid from the
sides of the wall of the test tube without shaking. if a
violet or blue ring appears at the intersection of two
layers then it shows presence of formalin.
DETECTION METHODS FOR RED 7
CHILLI POWDER

Red chilli powder is the most commonly used spice in


any Indian household, and is perhaps also the most
adulterated spice. Among the most commonly used
adulterants in chilli powder are sawdust and brick
powder. To test for the presence of these adulterants,
carry out the following tests:

- To a little powder of chilli add small amount of


concentrated HCl and mix to the consistency of paste,
dip the rear end of the matchstick into the paste and
hold over the flame. Brick red flame colour due to the
presence of calcium slats in brick powder.
DETECTION METHODS FOR 7
TURMERIC POWDER

Indian cooking is incomplete without the use of


turmeric powder. However, a commonly used
adulterant here is metanil yellow. Its a non-permitted
food colour used extensively in India. This substance
has severe effects on the parts of the brain and these
effects arent reversible. To test for the presence of
metanil yellow in turmeric powder

- Add a few drops of concentrated HCl to sample.


Instant appearance of violet colour, which disappears
on dilution with
water, indicates pure turmeric. If colour persists,
metanil yellow is
present.

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