If the quality of food material decreases, it is called food adulteration. Harmful ingredients are added or high-quality ingredients are replaced with cheaper alternatives. Illnesses are likely to occur when these adulterated substances are consumed. Be it spices or milk, almost every food item contains adulterants. If the manufacturer adds more water than milk, you can tell the milk product is adulterated. There are more ways to identify adulterated food items. On World Food Safety Day on June 7, we tell you how to spot adulterated food.

What is food adulteration?

Food adulteration refers to the process of reducing the quality of food by adding inferior ingredients or removing essential elements that make the food injurious to consumption, says nutritionist Abhilasha V. This is usually done to increase profit margins or extend lifespan. Food products.

Here are some key points about food adulteration:

• Addition of harmful or non-food ingredients to foods, such as adding water to milk, starch to butter or artificial colors to improve appearance.
• Substitution of high-quality materials with cheaper substitutes, such as mixing inferior grains with high-quality grains.
• Deliberately add impurities such as chalk powder to flour or sand and stones to dal to increase weight.

Food adulteration and health

Food adulteration poses significant health risks, ranging from minor health problems to serious illnesses. Diarrhea, cardiovascular diseases, allergic reactions, nausea and diabetes are frequent ailments observed in people consuming adulterated food, a research published Foods Journal in 2023.

People can also experience food poisoning and gastrointestinal disorders. Eliminating essential nutrients from food or replacing them with non-nutritive substances can also lead to deficiencies and malnutrition, the expert said.

What are the ways to detect adulterated food at home?

Here are some simple methods to identify adulterated foods at home:

1. Milk

Place a drop of milk on the polished surface. If it flows down without leaving a trace, it means there is water in your milk. Shake the milk vigorously and if it forms a thick foam, it may contain detergent.

2. Honey

Add few drops of honey in a glass of water to check its purity. Pure honey settles to the bottom, while honey with sugar syrup or other adulterants dissolves, the expert said.

3. Spices like turmeric and chili powder

Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of warm water. Pure turmeric settles to the bottom, leaving clear water. If the water becomes cloudy, it may contain impurities. In case of chili powder, put a small amount in water. Artificial color leaves a red streak, while pure chili powder settles without streaks.

4.Tea and coffee

Spread a small amount of tea leaves on wet blotting paper. If a yellow or orange color appears, this indicates the presence of an artificial color. Add some coffee powder to the water. Pure coffee floats, while adulterants settle.

5. Vegetables

Rub the surface of vegetables, especially green leaves, with a cotton ball dipped in water or vegetable oil. If the cotton is colored it means that there are artificial colors in it.

6. Fruits

Tell me how to check adulteration in banana! Put a few drops of water on the banana. Abhilasha says that if the water turns brown where it is poured, artificial ripening agents like calcium carbide are present.

7. Wheat

Dissolve one tablespoon of wheat flour in water and check if it is mixed with other ingredients. Pure flour settles to the bottom, but if the water becomes cloudy or contains residue, it indicates food adulteration.

8. Meat

Be it chicken or pork, press it. If it feels too hard or rubbery, it may contain fillers. Also, pure meat should have a natural color without any bright red or pink patches, which are signs of food adulteration.

9. Oils and fats

Keep a small amount of coconut oil in the fridge. Pure coconut oil solidifies while adulterated oil is liquid. To test other oils, put a few drops of oil on your palm and rub it. Pure oil is absorbed quickly, say experts.

10. Butter

Melt a small amount of butter in a spoon. Pure butter melts quickly and turns brown, while adulterated butter takes longer to melt and may even leave a white residue.

These home tests are very simple and help detect common adulteration in food items. Also, make sure to buy food products from certified sources.