INTRODUCTION

Adulterated food is food that is generally, impure, unsafe, or unwholesome. The main
federal laws governing adulterated foods are the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the
Federal Meat Inspection Act, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act. These laws contain
separate language defining in very specific terms how the term "adulterated" will be applied to
the foods each of these laws regulates. Products that are adulterated under these laws’
definitions cannot enter into commerce for human food use. Under U.S. law, using an
ingredient not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is one form of food
adulteration. State statutes may also regulate adulterated food produced or sold in the state. The
selling of adulterated food is subject to civil penalties.

Adulterated food are food products that fail to meet accepted safety standards. It means
that the food contains nonedible items that serve as substitutes for the natural ingredients, thus
diminishing the quality. It is unsafe, and long-term consumption leads to serious health
consequences. Food adulteration can be affect the quality of food is lowered either by the
addition of inferior quality material or by extraction of valuable ingredient.

The common contaminants and adulterants could be broadly classified as (a) intentional
and (b) non-intentional chemicals. The first category includes deliberate added chemicals like
additives and adulterants, the latter for the purpose of disguising inferior commodities and/or
earning undue profits. The second group of non-intentional contaminants can come during
production, processing, packaging and storage.

OBJECTIVES

 To study some of the common food adulterants in different food stuffs.

PROCEDURE

Experiment 1: Adulteration in sugar

a) Adulteration of various insoluble substances in sugar
.
5 grams of sugar was added in a test tube and shaken with little water
until it dissolves. Pure sugar dissolved in water but insoluble impurities
didn’t dissolve.

b) Adulteration of chalk powder, washing soda in sugar

To a small amount of sugar in a test tube, few drops of diluted HCl were
added. A brisk effervescence of carbon dioxide confirmed the presence of
chalk powder or washing soda in the given sample of sugar.

Experiment 2: Adulteration of milk

a) Adulteration of water in milk

Put a drop of milk on a polished slanting surface. Pure milk will flow
slowly leaving a white trail behind; whereas water admixed milk will flow
immediately without trailing

b) Adulteration of starch in milk

Few drops of tincture of Iodine or 1% Iodine solution were added.

Formation of blue color indicates the presence of starch.

Experiment 3: Adulteration in oil

a) Detection of Argemone oil

About 5ml of oil was taken in a test tube. Few drops of concentrated
Nitric acid were added into it and contents were shaken well. Presence
of orange colour indicated the presence of argemone oil.
Experiment 4: Adulteration in ghee/butter
a) Adulteration of Vanaspati or margarine in ghee

One tea spoon melted sample of ghee/ butter was taken with equal
quantity of concentrated Hydrochloric acid in a stoppered test tube
and a pinch of sugar was added. After shaking wait for five minutes.
Appearance of crimson colour in lower (acid) layer indicates the
adulteration with Vanaspati or Margarine.

b) Adulteration of coal tar dye in ghee

2 ml of melted sample of ghee was poured in a test tube and 3 ml

of ether was added.Then it was shaken thoroughly and 1 ml of
concentrated HCl was added . Shake well and allow to stand.
Appearance of pink colour indicates the presence of colouring
matter

Experiment 5: Adulteration in turmeric powder

a) Detection of chalk powder in turmeric powder

About 1 gm of turmeric powder was taken in a test tube

containing 2-3 ml of water. A few drops of concentrated
Hydrochloric acid was added, effervescence indicates the
presence of chalk powder.

Experiment 6: Adulteration in tea leaves

a) Adulteration with iron fillings

By moving a magnet through the sample, iron filings can be

separated.

b) Adulteration with exhausted tea or coal tar colour

Take a filter paper and spread a few tea leaves. Sprinkle with
water to wet the filter paper. If coal tar colour is present it would
immediately stain the filter paper, while tea leaves shall not stain
it.
Experiment 7: Adulteration in black pepper
a) Adulteration of dried papaya seeds in pepper

Small amount of sample of pepper was added to beaker

containing water and stir with a glass rod. Dried papaya seeds
being lighter float over water while pure pepper settles at the
bottom.
 RESULT:
Experiment 1: Adulteration in sugar
Table 1: Adulteration of various insoluble substances in sugar
Type of Observation Result
sugar
Castor Do not dissolve in water Insoluble impurities sugar
coarse Do not dissolve in water Insoluble impurities sugar

Table 2: Adulteration of chalk powder, washing soda in sugar by using diluted of Nitric
acid.
Type of Observation Result
sugar
Castor Brisk effervescent of carbon Presence of chalk powder or
dioxide is present washing soda in sugar
coarse Brisk effervescent of carbon Presence of chalk powder or
dioxide is present washing soda in sugar

Experiment 2: Adulteration in milk

Table 3: Adulteration of water in milk
Brand Observation Result
Dutch Flow slowly leaving a white Milk is pure
Lady trail behind
Magnolia Flow immediately without Milk is not pure
trailing
Fern Leaf Flow slowly leaving a white Milk is pure
trail behind

Table 4: Adulteration of starch in milk by using 1% Iodine solution

Brand Observation Result
 Dutch No presence of blue colour Milk is pure
Lady
Magnolia No presence of blue colour Milk is pure
Fern Leaf No presence of blue colour Milk is pure

Experiment 3: Adulteration in oil

Table 5: Detection of Argemone oil in oil using concentrated Nitric acid
Brand Observation Result
Sunflower No change of colour No Argemone oil
Bagus Change colour to orange Presence of Argemone oil
Knife Change colour to orange Presence of Argemone oil
Minyak Presence of orange colour Presence of Argemone oil
Bijan

Experiment 4: Adulteration in ghee/butter

Table 6: Adulteration of vanaspati or margarine in ghee by using concentrated HCl
Brand Observation Result
Adela No presence of crimson No addition of vanaspati or
colour margarine
Crispo Change to crimson colour Addition of vanaspati or
margarine
Windmill No presence of crimson No addition of vanaspati or
colour margarine

Table 7: Adulteration of coal tar dye in ghee by using ether and concentrated of HCl.
Brand Observation Result
Adela Pink colour appear Presence of colouring matter
Crispo Pink colour appear Presence of colouring matter
 Windmill Pink colour is not appear No addition of colouring
matter

Experiment 5: Adulteration in turmeric powder

Table 8: Detection of chalk powder in turmeric powder by using concentrated HCl
Brand Observation Result
Babas Effervescent presence Presence of chalk powder
Faiza No effervescent presence No addition of chalk powder
Mak Siti No effervescent presence No addition of chalk powder

Experiment 6: Adulteration in tea leaves

Table 9: Adulteration with exhausted tea or coal tar colour
Brand Observation Result

Cap Immediately stain the filter Coal tar colour present

Kipas paper
Boh Not stain the filter paper No coal tar colour present
Lori Immediately stain the filter Coal tar colour presence
paper
Sabah Immediately stain the filter Coal tar colour presence
paper

Table 10: Adulteration with iron fillings

Brand Observation Result
Cap Tea moving follow the Presence of iron fillings in
Kipas magnet tea
Boh Tea not moving No addition of iron filling in
tea
Lori Tea moving follow the Presence of iron filling in tea
magnet
 Sabah Tea not moving No addition of iron filling in
tea

Experiment 7: Adulteration in black pepper

Table 11:
Brand Observation Result
Kijang Most number of seed floating Most number of dried papaya
over water seed present
KCH More number of seed More number of dried papaya
floating over water seed present
Fresco Less number of seed floating Less number of dried papaya
over water. seed present
 DISCUSSION:

The study of adulteration in food was conducted to investigate some of common food
adulteration in different food stuffs.
The experiment on the adulteration in sugar was using two different types of sugar which
is castor and course sugar. For experiment on adulteration of sugar insoluble substance in sugar,
the mixture of sugar with water was shaking. Based on the result in table 1, both type of sugar do
not dissolve in water properly. This is show that, these kinds of sugar were insoluble impurities
sugar. If the mixture is dissolve while shaking, the sugar was considering pure sugar.
To determine the adulteration of chalk powder or washing soda in sugar, diluted
Hydrochloric acid was used to mix with sugar. The brisk effervescent of carbon dioxide gives the
result on presence of chalk powder or washing soda in the sugar sample. Table 2 obtained that
both sugar shows brisk effervescent in solution. Thus, chalk powder is considering presence in
sample sugar.
Next experiment is adulteration in milk by using three different brand of milk which is
Dutch Lady, Magnolia and Fern Leaf. A drop of milk was put on a polished slanting surface of
investigate the adulteration water in milk. The result was recorded in table 3. The brand of Dutch
Lady and Fern Leaf show milks were pure as they flow slowly and leaving a white trail whereas
milk of Magnolia flow immediately without trailing on polished slanting. These is because the
milk of Magnolia was added with water and the concentrated of milk is decreasing.
Usually, many industries they used many starch to increase the concentrated of milk. The
adulteration of starch in milk was conducted using 1% iodine which may change the colour of
milk to blue. The result in table 4 obtained all brand of milk were consider pure due to absent of
blue colour formation.
The Argemone oil was widely used in many kinds of oil brand. In this experiment,
concentrated Nitric acid was used for four brand of oil were used which is Sunflower, Bagus,
Knife and Minyak Bijan. Table 5 shows, only sunflower oil do not change the colour to orange.
In sunflower oil no Argemone oil detected while the rest contain Argemone oil due to colour was
change to orange. In humans, Argemone oil contained in adulterated mustard oil causes
oxidative stress and death of red blood cells via met-hemoglobin formation by altering pyridine
nucleotide(s) and glutathione redox potential. Argemone oil contamination poses a serious threat
to human health and should be checked by appropriate regulatory measures. Antioxidant therapy
provides symptomatic relief and should be seriously considered for therapeutic interventions
against Argemone oil toxicity (Babu, Khanna, & Das, 2007).
The experiment on adulteration in ghee was conducted to detect the presence vanaspati or
margarine by using concentrated HCl. Table 6 shows only Crispo brand change the crimson
colour which indicate the addition of Vanaspati or Margarine in oil. The Vanaspati is used in oil
because Vanaspati is usually fully hydrogenated. Hydrogenation is the process of adding
hydrogen to an edible vegetable oil using a catalyst to produce a fat with semi-solid consistency
and often used as a cheaper substitute for ghee and butter (“Why Hydrogenation used in Edible
Vegetable Oils ? What Labelling Guidelines to be followed if Hydrogented Oils are used in
foods ?,” n.d.)
Ghee and butter also may present of coal tar dye. Concentrated HCl was used to
adulteration of coal tar dye. Based on table 7 Adela and Crispo show positive result on
appearance of pink colour thus, colouring matter were added to ghee and butter while Windmill
show negative result. Coal tar dye is color additive which make ghee and butter more attractive,
appealing, appetizing and informative (Nutrition, n.d.).
The study of adulteration on turmeric powder to detect of chalk powder in them by using
concentrated HCl. The result was obtained in table 8, brand Babas have effervescent which mean
chalk powder was present in Babas turmeric powder. The addition of chalk powder in turmeric
powder is to increase the quantity and concentrated while cooking process. Brand of Faiza and
Mak Siti were confirming free chalk powder.
Next, coal tar dye also is used in tea product to enhance the colour and it is harmless but
can pose to health hazards (“Simple Test for Color Additives in Tea | World Tea News,” n.d.).
Table 9 shows Cap Kipas, Lori and Sabah immediately stain the filter paper thus coal tar colour
is present. Only brand Boh does not contain coal tar dye.
In tea product also may be added the iron filling to increase their weight. Anything that is
adulterated and is not pure is bound to cause a harmful effect on the body (“Simple Test for
Color Additives in Tea | World Tea News,” n.d.). the investigation of adulteration with iron
fillings was done and was stated in table 10. Cap Kipas and Lori were moving following
movement of magnet bellow the filter paper. Iron attract with magnet. In these two brand was
added iron filling to increase their weight. Brand of Boh and Sabah are free from iron filling as
they do not move follow the movement of magnet.
Most of black pepper brand not fully pure. To get more profit, many industries add some
dried papaya seed in black pepper product due to their physical properties look similar. During
experiment of adulteration in black pepper, brand Kijang have most number of seed floating over
water follow KCH and Fresco. The floating seeds were dried papaya seeds.
As a conclusion, the food adulteration can be affect 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.
Adulterants are those substances which are used for making the food products unsafe for human
consumption.
 CONCLUSION

Food adulteration is refers to mixing cheap, low quality and generally undesirable
substances into food for economic gain. In Malaysia, food adulteration receives serious attention
from the government. According to Food Act 1983 no person shall prepare or sell any
adulterated food. Food adulteration is dangerous as it will result in bad health and cause various
diseases to consumers. Plus, food adulteration also may fool consumers as to the quality of the
food. The addition of foreign material in food has been done by greedy and inhuman food
producers who want to get big profit quickly. The main objective of this experiment is to study
some of the common food adulterants in different food stuffs. In this experiment several tests
conducted which are adulteration in sugar, milk, oil, ghee, turmeric powder, tea leaves and black
pepper. Based on the results obtained it shows that food adulteration occur in different type of
food sample in each test. Therefore, as a consumer we must be aware of adulterated food before
consuming any food product because of it can be harmful to ours health.

REFERENCES

Babu, C. K., Khanna, S. K., & Das, M. (2007). Adulteration of Mustard Cooking Oil with
Argemone Oil: Do Indian Food Regulatory Policies and Antioxidant Therapy Both Need
Revisitation? Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 9(4), 515–525.
https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2006.1492
Nutrition, C. for F. S. and A. (n.d.). Color Additives: FDA’s Regulatory Process and
Historical Perspectives. Retrieved from
https://www.fda.gov/ForIndustry/ColorAdditives/RegulatoryProcessHistoricalPerspectives/
Simple Test for Color Additives in Tea | World Tea News. (n.d.). Retrieved March 4,
2018, from http://worldteanews.com/news/simple-test-for-color-additives-in-tea
Why Hydrogenation used in Edible Vegetable Oils ? What Labelling Guidelines to be
followed if Hydrogented Oils are used in foods ? (n.d.). Retrieved March 4, 2018, from
http://foodsafetyhelpline.com/2015/02/hydrogenation-used-edible-vegetable-oils-labelling-
guidelines-followed-hydrogented-oils-used-foods/