2. INTRODUCTION
Food adulteration has become a very common practice in our country and we are
consuming these foods almost everyday, which have serious health effects to our
health. Some adulterants are used with few legal controls by the government
authorities.
DEFINITION: Food adulteration is commonly defined as the addition of any
substance to food by which the natural composition and quality of food substance
is affected. It also includes substitution, misbranding, addition of toxicants to the
food.
Adulteration is generally two types-
1. Intentional adulteration: When a food is knowingly adulterated is called as
intentional adulteration. This includes addition of chalk powder, sand, water to
a product to increase weight.
2. Unintentional adulteration: When a food is accidently adulterated for the
carelessness of manufacturers during processing, packaging and storage is
called as unintentional adulteration. This includes screw, nut bolts, pesticide
residues etc.
3. REASON FOR ADULTERATION
1. To increase the quantity of food production and sales.
2. To make maximum profit by fewer investment.
3. Lack of knowledge of proper food handling.
4. To make the product more attractable.
5. To extend shelf life of the product.
4. FOOD MATERIALS & COMMON ADULTERANTS
• Coffee powder: Coffee powder can be adulterated with chicory, tamarind seeds
powder.
Health effect: Diarrhoea.
Detection process:
1. Take a transparent glass of
Water.
2. Add a tea spoon of coffee
Powder.
3. Coffee powder will floats
Over the water but chicory begins
to sink.
5. • Chilli powder: Chilli powder can be adulterated with saw dust, red brick powder,
synthetic colours.
Health effects: Cancer, tumour, stomach disorders etc.
Detection process:
1. Take a tea spoon of chilli powder in
A transparent glass of water.
2. The original chilli powder will
Sprinkle on the surface of water.
3. If artificial colourants is present then
It will immediately start descending in
colour streaks
6. • Honey: Honey can adulterated with sugar, corn syrup.
Health effect: Obesity, stomach disorders.
Detection process:
1. Take a transparent glass of water.
2. Add a drop of honey to the glass.
3. Pure honey will not disperse in water.
4. If it disperse in water, it indicates the
presence of added sugar.
7. • Milk: Milk can be adulterated with water, starch, detergent.
Health effects: Cancer, stomach disorders.
Detection process:
1. Boil 2-3 ml of sample with 5 ml of water.
2. Cool and add 2-3 drops of iodine
solution.
3. Formation of blue colour indicates
the presence of starch.
8. COMMON ADULTERANTS IN DIFFERENT FOOD PRODUCTS
FOOD PRODUCTS ADULTERANT HARMFUL EFFECTS
Ghee, cheese, butter Vanaspati, starch powder. Stomach disorders.
Grains Dust, stones, damaged grains, straw, etc. Liver disorders, toxicity in the body, etc.
pulses Dyes, chemical and lead chromate Stomach disorders.
Sugar Chalk powder, urea, etc. Stomach disorders and kidney failure.
Turmeric powder Pesticide residues, saw dust, yellow dye,
etc.
Cancer and Stomach disorders.
Ice cream Ethyl acetate, nitrate, washing powder. Cancer, heart failure, kidney problems.
Tomato sauce Pumpkin pulp, artificial colours and
flavours.
Gastric, other stomach problems.
9. PREVENTION OF FOOD ADULTERATION ACT, 1954
To prevent food adulteration in India The Prevention of Food
Adulteration Act was established in 1954 by The Ministry of Food
Processing Industries, Government of India. It is a mandatory law for all
food product manufacturers.
Objectives:
• Prohibit the manufacture, sale, distribution or import of adulterated
food.
• Protect consumers from health risks associated with food
adulteration.
• It specifies the parameters relating to food additives, preservatives,
colouring matters, packing and labelling of foods.
10. FOOD ADULTERATION – CONTROL APPROACH
The food adulteration can be control by:
Implementing food standards, rules and regulations for all food
manufacturers.
Frequent testing of ingredients, additives.
Implementing more strict actions on adulterated food manufacturers.
Performing consumer awareness camp regarding food adulteration.
Buying only those products which have authorised certification mark
on the label.
11. CONCLUSION
Adulteration of food is an old age problem. It was performed almost all
over in the world. Food adulteration is a social evil. We the general
publics are suffering from this because we all need the food which is at
low price. But we don’t know how the food manufacturers cut down or
lowers the price. To fulfil our needs they compromised with quality of
food. So we have to aware about this, while purchasing foods we have
to notice the labelling on food products carefully. Thus we can avoid
consuming adulterated foods and we will keep us healthy.
