ADULTERATION OF SPICES & GRAINS. HOW TO CHECK AT HOME?
HOW TO CHECK ADULTERATION IN FOOD GRAINS AND SPICES AT HOME?
Detecting ergot in food grains (Ergot – is a fungus containing poisonous substance)
How to test?
Put some grains in a transparent glass containing 20 percent of salt solution. (20gm of table salt/iodised salt in 100ml water).
Ergot floats over the surface while sound grains settle down.
Purple black, longer sized grains show the presence of ergots.
Detecting excess bran in wheat flour
How to test?
Take a transparent glass of water.
Sprinkle a spoon of wheat flour on the surface of water.
Pure wheat flour will not show excess bran on water surface.
Adulterated wheat flour shows excess bran on floating water surface.
Detection of added food colour in food grains
How to test?
Take a transparent glass of water.
Add two teaspoons of food grains and mix thoroughly.
Pure food grains will not leave any colour.
Adulterated food grains leaves colour immediately in water, that is why when we wash dal, the water most of the time turns out to be yellow.
Detecting iron fillings in aata/maida/suji/rawa
How to test?
Take a small quantity of sample in a glass plate.
Move the magnet through the flour.
Pure flour will not show any iron fillings on the magnet.
If flour is adulterated, then iron fillings will be seen on the magnet.
Detecting turmeric in sella rice
How to test food adulteration?
Take a tea spoon of rice in a glass plate.
On the rice grains, sprinkle a small amount of soaked lime (commonly known as chuna which is used in pan).
Pure grains will not form red colour.
Adulterated grains will form red colour.
Detecting rhodamine B in ragi
How to test adulteration?
Take cotton ball soaked in water (lightly squeeze out the water)
Rub the outer surface of the ragi.
If cotton absorbs colour, then it indicates the adulteration of rhodamine B for colouring the outer surface of ragi.
Adulteration in Spices and Condiments
Detecting foreign resin in asafoetida (hing)
How to test?
Burn small quantity of asafoetida in a stainless steel spoon.
Pure asafoetida will burn like camphor.
Adulterated asafoetida will not produce bright flame like camphor.
Detecting soap stone or other earthy matter in asafoetida (hing)
How to test?
Shake a little portion of the sample with water and allow it to settle.
Pure asafoetida will not leave any soap stone or other earthy matter at the bottom.
If asafoetida is adulterated, soap stone or other earthy matter will settle down at the bottom.
Detecting papaya seeds in black pepper
How to test adulteration?
Put half teaspoon of whole black pepper in a glass of water.
Pure black pepper will settle at the bottom.
In adulterated black pepper, papaya seeds will float on the surface of the water.
Detect artificial/water colour soluble synthetic colours in chilli powder
How to test?
Sprinkle chilli powder on the surface of the water. Use a transparent glass.
The artificial colours will immediately start to descend in colour streaks.
Detect grass seeds coloured with charcoal dust in cumin seeds
How to test?
Rub small amount of cumin seeds on palms.
If palm turns black, adulteration is indicated.
Detecting artificial colour in turmeric powder
How to test adulteration in turmeric powder?
Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a transparent glass of water.
Natural turmeric powder leaves light yellow colour while settling down.
Adulterated turmeric powder will leave a strong yellow colour in water while settling down.
Detect sawdust and powdered bran in powdered spices
How to test?
Sprinkle powdered spices in a transparent glass of water.
Pure spices will not leave any elements on the surface of the water.
Adulterated spices will have saw dust/powdered brand floating on the surface of the water.
Other miscellaneous adulteration
Detection of malachite green in green vegetables
How to test?
Take a cotton piece soaked in water.
Rub the outer green surface of a small part of green vegetable/chilli.
If the cotton turns green, then it is adulterated with malachite green.
Detect artificial colour on green peas
How to test?
Take a little amount of green peas in a transparent glass.
Add water to it and mix well.
Let it stand for half an hour.
Clear separation of colour in water indicates adulteration.
Detecting Saffron adulteration
How to test if saffron is adulterated?
Genuine saffron will not break easily like artificial ones.
Artificial saffron is prepared by soaking maize cob in sugar and colouring it with coal tar.
Take a transparent glass of water and add small quantity of saffron.
If saffron is adulterated, the artificial colour dissolves in water rapidly.
A bit of pure saffron when allowed to dissolve in water will continue to give its saffron colour so long as it lasts.
Detection of white powder in iodised salt
How to test?
Stir ¼ teaspoon of sample of salt in a glass of water.
Pure salt dissolves completely and gives a clear solution or gives slightly turbid solutiondue to the presence of permitted anticaking agent in salt.
If salt is adulterated, solution turns dense white turbid in the presence of chalk powder and other insoluble impurities will settle down at the bottom of the glass.
Differentiation of common salt and iodised salt
How to test?
Cut a piece of potato. Add salt and wait for a minute.
Add two drops of lemon juice.
If it is iodised salt, blue colour will develop.
In case of common salt, there will be no blue colour.
Detect rhodamine B in sweet potato
How to test?
Take a cotton ball soaked in water or vegetable oil (conduct the test separately).
Rub the outer red surface of the sweet potato.
If cotton absorbs colour, then it indicates the usage of rhodamine B for colouring the outer skin of sweet potato.
