In a country where official systems set for food safety and prevention are constantly outdone by a booming adulteration business, the onus of safeguarding one's family against contaminaed food, unfortunately falls on citizens themselves. From loose packed ground spices, to wet produce such as milk, khoya, paneer, to dry spices and grains, almost everything you can buy has a potential of being adulterated, if purchased from an unauthorized vendor in a box unmarked and tested by either Agmark or ISI. While some of these could be less harmful, such as water or bran, chemicals and colouring agents such as Metanil Yellow, Lead Chromate, Sudan Red III, are known to be carcinogenic. The chairman of the Consumer Guidence Society of India, Dr Sitaram Dixit lists a few commonly used food items, and suggests simple home tests to check for their most common adulterants. In case the test asks for the presence of an acid, you could use common toilet-cleaning acid, or easily found citric acid or even lemon juice.
1 Turmeric, dals and pulses such as moong or channa
Adulterant
Metanil Yellow and Kesari Dal (Added to enhance the yellow colour of a food substance)
Test
Dissolve half a spoon full of besan or turmeric powder in 20 ml of lukewarm water. Add a few drops of hydrochloric acid or any commonly available acid at home. If the water turns pink, violet or purple, it shows the presence of Metanil yellow.
Harmful effects
It's highly carcinogenic and if consumed over a continuous period of time it can also cause stomach disorders.
2. Green chillies, green peas and other vegetables
Adulterant
Malachite Green (To accentuate the bright, glowing green colour of the vegetable)
Test
Take a small portion of the sample and place it over a moistened white blotting paper. Coloured impressions on the blotting paper indicate the presence of Malachite green.
Harmful effects
It's a coloured dye that has proven to be carcinogenic for humans if consumed over a long period of time.
3. Mustard seeds and mustard oil
Adulterant
Argemone seeds (used to add bulk and weight)
Test
When pressed or crushed, argemone seeds are white inside and have a rough outer surface whereas mustard seeds are smooth on the outside and are yellow on the inside.
Harmful effects
The consumption of these could cause epidemic dropsy and severe glaucoma. Young children and senior citizens with poor immunity are more susceptible this.
4. Paneer, khoya, condensed milk and milk
Adulterant
Starch (used to give it a thick, rich texture)
Test
Take a small sample of the product in a test tube, add 20 ml of water and bring to a boil. Cool to room temperature and add a drop or two of iodine solution. If the solution turns blue, it marks the presence of starch.
Harmful effects
Unhygienic, unprocessed water and starch can cause stomach disorders. Starch greatly reduces the nutritional value of the ingredient.
5. Ice cream
Adulterant
Washing powder (used to add a bright white sheen and lightness of flavour)
Test
Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice on the ice cream. If it starts to froth and bubble, it marks the presence of washing powder.
Harmful effects
It can cause severe stomach and liver disorders
6. Black pepper
Adulterant
Papaya seeds (used to add bulk)
Test
Float the sample in alcohol. Mature black pepper corns will sink where as papaya seeds will float to the surface.
Harmful effects
Papaya seeds can cause serious liver problems and stomach disorders.
7. Coffee powder
Adulterant
Tamarind seeds, chicory powder (used to add bulk and colour)
Test
Gently sprinkle coffee powder on the surface of water in a glass. The coffee will float whereas chicory will start to sink within a few seconds. Also, the falling chicory powder will leave a trail of colour behind due to the large amounts of caramel it contains.
Harmful effects
These can cause diarrhea, stomach disorders, giddiness and severe joint pains.
Catch the adulterer
According to the directives by the FDA, if a packed product with an ISI or an AGMARK tests positive for adulteration, you can take the sample to the Agmark head office on the Tulsi Pipe road, between Matunga Road and Mahim railway station, and register an official complaint. The agencies then conduct their own tests, and if confirmed, raid their premises and take legal action against erring companies.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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