Till now studies showed the ill effects of areca nut and blamed for being consumed. Unfortunately, this is even adulterated.

2.  Oldest and common masticator widely
distributed in South and South East Asia
especially India, China, Bangladesh,
Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand,
Malaysia, Vietnam, and Philippines.
 Areca nut is actually the seed or
endosperm of the oriental palm Areca
catechu L of the Palmae family.
 Areca nut production in India is the
largest in the world, as per FAO statistics
for 2013, accounting for 49.74% of its
world output, and is exported to many
countries. Within India, as of 2013-
14, Karnataka produces 62.69 percent of
the crop followed by Kerala and Assam;
all three states together account for 88.59
percent of its production. In the other
states of Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu,
and West Bengal, where it is also
consumed, the crop is grown in a very
small area.

3. ANTI-CAVITY
EFFECT SCHIZOPHRENIA DRY MOUTH
RELIEF
RELIEF FROM
STOMACH
CONTROLS
DIABETES AND
HYPERTENSION
ANTI-
DEPRESSANT
PROPERTIES
IMMUNOMODULATORY
PROPERTIES

4. Carbohydrate 46.2mg
Protein 4.2mg
Fat 4.2mg
Calcium 48mg
Phosphorus 119mg
Iron 1.4mg
Vitamin A Trace
Vitamin B6 Trace
Energy (in Kcal) 245

6. Chewing
Forms of
Areca nut
GUTKA
SUPARI
BETEL QUID
PAN
MASALA

7.  Infestation of Aspergillus
flavus is commonly
reported in Indian Areca
nuts.
 The centre core portion
(pith) of areca nut is
preferred as the site of
infection and the infection
by this fungi gives a dark,
patchy appearance.
 Continuous consumption
of such infested food even
if they are in small doses
can lead to many health
problems

8.  Most of the pan masala sachets available in the market
are either sub-standard or spurious or may even
adulterated with insecticides, toxic metals which has
carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic potentials.
 Tobacco free masala contains upto 13.28g of nicotine (a
carcinogen); methanol; saccharin.

9. Proper drying of the areca nut is a necessary step to stop
microbial growth
Use of a solution containing sodium benzoate and potassium
meta-bisulphate acidified to a pH of 3.5-4.0 with hydrochloric acid
for steeping ripe nuts after initial heat blanching is suggested to
eliminate the foul smell and improve the quality of nuts.
Treating nuts with fungicides such as blitox or Bordeaux mixture
followed by drying on cement floor significantly reduced the
percentage of infection
Infection is less when the nuts are stored in polythene lined
gunny bags compared to those stored in plain gunny bags.

11. • Areca nut and it’s products available in the market are
contaminated and adulterated with toxic chemicals like
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dangerous
insecticides such as DDT and BHC isomers in addition
to toxic metals.
• Tobacco free pan masala contains nicotine, methanol
and saccharin in very high concentrations than the
maximum levels permitted by the Prevention of Food
Adulteration Act of India.
• Studies have even blamed Areca nut for all the ill-
effects and so there is an urgent need to evaluate and
detect the harmful substance responsible for the ill-
effects of areca nut . Strict action has to be taken on the
manufacture and sale of such products for the benefit
of areca farmers and chewers of the same.

13. 1. Bhatt S.K., Ashwin D, Mythri S, Bhat S, (2018), “Arecanut
(Areca catechu L.) is not carcinogenic but cures cancer”,
International Journal of Medical and Health Research,
4(1), 35-40
2. Weyl O. , Kaiser H. , Hecht T., (1996), “Incidence of fungi
and aflatoxins in imported arecanut samples”, South
African Journal of Science, 92, 154-156
3. Asghar M. A. , Iqbal J, Ahmed A, Khan M. A., Shamuddin
Z. A., (2014) “Aflatoxin B1 in betel nuts imported to
Pakistan from different regions of South Asia”, Food
Additives & Contaminants,7(3), 1-4
4. Raisuddin S and Mishra J.K., (1990) “Aflatoxin in betel
nut and its control by use of food preservatives”, Food
Additives & Contaminants, 8(6), 1-4
5. Bhat S.K., Ashwin D, Sarpangala M, (2017),
“Contamination and Adulteration in Arecanut (Areca
Catechu L) and its chewing forms: The less focussed
subject by Health Researchers”, IOSR Journal of
Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology,
11(1), 07-12