QUICK TEST FOR

SOME ADULTERANTS
IN FOOD
INSTRUCTION MANUAL- PART I (COMMON
METHODS FOR DETECTION AT HOUSEHOLDS)
3T

Food is essential for nourishment and sustenance of life. Adulteration of

food cheats the consumer and can pose serious risk to health in some
cases. The purpose of this manual is to give the consumer an
opportunity to detect a few common adulterants in food. The manual
compiles testing methodology for common adulterants to be tested at
households
3T

F O O D S AFETY AN D S TAN DARDS A UTHO RITY O F I N DIA

7T

3/8/2012
3T

1
Eat Pure... Live Pure.....

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),

FDA Bhavan, Kotla Road, New Delhi 110002 India.
EPABX: 011-23236975, Telefax: 011-23220994

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Adulteration of food Cheats the consumer and poses a serious risk to health. A common consumer may not have
sufficient knowledge about purity and quality of food articles he
consumes. Mere visual inspection does not serve the purpose especially
when adulteration has assumed high degree of sophistication. With this
view Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has developed
QUICK TEST FOR SOME ADULTERANTS IN FOOD which gives the
consumer to screen their day to day food articles.
This manual provides testing methods for common adulterants which
can be easily performed in the households.

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2

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Adulteration of food, a Deep Rooted Social Evil

Among mans everyday needs, food plays a major sustaining role. From the
simple dish to the most elaborate haute cuisine, food preparation is as varied and
rich as mans taste.
The lure of riches and general apathy towards mankind has led to adulterants
being added to food from the simple stones in rice to the more harmful brick and
boric powder.
Adulteration of food commonly defined as the addition or subtraction of any
substance to or from food, so that the natural composition and quality of food
substance is affected.
Adulteration is either intentional by either removing substances to food or altering
the existing natural properties of food knowingly. Unintentional adulteration is
usually attributed to ignorances, carelessness or lack of facilities for maintaining
food quality.
The common man, unfortunately, remains largely unaware of these adulterants and
consume food without thorough checks. Some of the common adulterated foods
are milk and milk products, atta, edible oils, cereals, condiments (whole and
ground), pulses, coffee, tea, confectionary, baking powder, non-alcoholic beverages,
vinegar, besan and curry powder.
Adulteration of food cheats the consumer and can pose serious risk to health. Mere
visual inspection does not serve the purpose especially when adulteration has
assumed high degree of sophistication. Consumer awareness is the remedy for
eliminating the evil of adulteration and sale of substandard food article. The simple
and quick test which can be easily performed to ascertain the purity of a food
product are published here in view of the current food safety situation and hence,
Quick Test for some Adulterants in Food has been developed to protect the
households/ small industries and common man in the country against food
adulteration.
A set of two instruction manuals have been developed i.e. Part I and Part II. Part I incorporates simple
testing procedures which can be easily performed in the households and simply
help the consumer to screen their day to day food articles. Instruction manual Part II
however, incorporates testing procedures which require specific chemicals,
reagents and glasswares and cover a wider range of adulterated food group. The
scope of this manual limits to small industries/ Food vendors / NGOs etc but for
detailed confirmatory test and quantification the analysis in a laboratory is a must
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Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Food Adulteration.
What is Adulteration?
Food is the basic necessity of life. One works hard and earns to satisfy our hunger and relax (enjoy) later. But at
the end of the day, many of us are not sure of what we eat. We may be eating a dangerous dye, sawdust, soap
stone, industrial starch, and aluminum foil and so on! Contaminated foods and drinks are common sources of
infection. Often, we invite diseases rather than good health.
Food adulteration is an act of intentionally debasing the quality of food offered for sale either by the admixture or
substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredient. Food Adulteration takes into
account not only the intentional addition or substitution or abstraction of substances which adversely affect
nature, substances and quality of foods, but also their incidental contamination during the period of growth,
harvesting, storage, processing, transport and distribution.
adulterant means any material which is or could be employed for making the food unsafe or sub-standard or
mis-branded or containing extraneous matter;
Food is adulterated if its quality is lowered or affected by the addition of substances which are injurious to health
or by the removal of substances which are nutritious. It is defined as the act of intentionally debasing the quality
of food offered for sale either by the admixture or substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some
valuable ingredient.
Food is declared adulterated if:

A substance is added which depreciates or injuriously affects it.

Cheaper or inferior substances are substituted wholly or in part.

Any valuable or necessary constituent has been wholly or in part abstracted.

It is an imitation.

It is colored or otherwise treated, to improve its appearance or if it contains any added substance
injurious to health.

For whatever reasons its quality is below the Standard

Adulterated food is dangerous because it may be toxic and can affect health and it could deprive nutrients
essential for proper growth and development.
Very often food is adulterated by merchants and traders who are unscrupulous and want to make a quick profit.
But shortages and increasing prices, consumer demands for variety in foods, a lack of awareness, negligence,
indifference and lethargy among consumers and inadequate enforcement of food laws and food safety measures
also lead to food adulteration.
Some of the common adulterated foods are milk and milk products, atta, edible oils, cereals, condiments (whole
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Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

and ground), pulses, coffee, tea, confectionary, baking powder, non-alcoholic beverages, vinegar, besan and curry
powder.
Types of Adulterants:
Type
Intentional Adulterants
Incidental adulterants
Metallic contaminants

Substances Added
Sand, marble chips, stones, mud, other filth, talc, chalk powder, water, mineral oil
and harmful colour.
Pesticide residues, droppings of rodents, larvae in foods.
Arsenic from pesticides, lead from water, effluent from chemical industries, tin
from cans.

Poisonous or Deleterious Substances

Generally, if a food contains a poisonous or deleterious substance that may render it injurious to health, it is
adulterated. For example, apple cider contaminated with E. coli O157:H7 and Brie cheese contaminated with
Listeria monocytogenes are adulterated.
If a food contains a poisonous substance in excess of a tolerance, regulatory limit, or action level, mixing it with
"clean" food to reduce the level of contamination is not allowed. The deliberate mixing of adulterated food with
good food renders the finished product adulterated
Filth and Foreign Matter
Filth and extraneous material include any objectionable substances in foods, such as foreign matter (for example,
glass, metal, plastic, wood, stones, sand, cigarette butts), undesirable parts of the raw plant material (such as
stems, pits in pitted olives, pieces of shell in canned oysters), and filth (namely, mold, rot, insect and rodent parts,
excreta, decomposition
Economic Adulteration
A food is adulterated if it omits a valuable constituent or substitutes another substance, in whole or in part, for a
valuable constituent (for instance, olive oil diluted with tea tree oil); conceals damage or inferiority in any manner
(such as fresh fruit with food coloring on its surface to conceal defects); or any substance has been added to it or
packed with it to increase its bulk or weight, reduce its quality or strength, or make it appear bigger or of greater
value than it is (for example, scallops to which water has been added to make them heavier).
Microbiological Contamination and Adulteration
The fact that a food is contaminated with pathogens (harmful microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or
protozoa) may, or may not, render it adulterated. Generally, for ready-to-eat foods, the presence of pathogens will
render the food adulterated. For example, the presence of Salmonella on fresh fruits or vegetables or in ready-toeat meat or poultry products (such as luncheon meats) will render those products adulterated.
For meat and poultry products, which are regulated by USDA, the rules are more complicated. Ready-to-eat meat
and poultry products contaminated with pathogens, such as Salmonella or Listeria monocytogenes, are
adulterated. For raw meat or poultry products, the presence of pathogens will not always render a product
adulterated (because raw meat and poultry products are intended to be cooked and proper cooking should kill
pathogens). Raw poultry contaminated with Salmonella is not adulterated.
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Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Methods for Detection of common adulterants in food

SNO

1.

FOOD ARTICLE
Milk

ADULTERANT
Water

METHOD FOR DETECTION

REMARKS

(i) The presence of water can be by

putting a drop of milk on a polished
slanting surface. The drop of pure
milk either or flows lowly leaving a
white trail behind it, whereas milk
adulterated water will flow
immediately without leaving a
mark,
2.

Starch

Add a few drops of tincture of

Iodine
or
Iodine
solution.
Formation of blue colour indicates
the presence of starch.

3.

Urea

4.

Vanaspati

5.

Formalin

Take 10 ml of milk in a tests tube and

add 5 ml of con sulphuric acid from
the sides of the wall without shaking.
If a violet or blue ring appears at the
intersection of two layers then it
shows presence of formalin.

6.

Detergent

Shake 5-10 ml. of sample with an

equal amount of water lather
indicates the presence of detergent.

Synthetic milk

Synthetic milk has a bitter after

taste, gives a soapy feeling on
rubbing between the fingers and
turns yellowish on heating.

7.

Milk

8.

Synthetic milk- test for protein

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Iodine solution is
easily available in
the medical
stores.

Take a teaspoon of milk in a test

tube. Add teaspoon of soybean or
arhar powder. Mix up the contents
thoroughly by shaking the test tube.
After 5 minutes, dip a red litmus
paper in it. Remove the paper after
a minute. A change in colour from
red to blue indicates the presence of
urea in the milk.
Take 3 ml of milk in a test tube. Add
10 drops of hydrochloric acid. Mix up
one teaspoonful of sugar. After 5
minutes, examine the mixture. The
red colouration indicates the
presence of vanaspati in the milk.

The milk can easily be tested by

Formalin
enhances the life
of milk and thus is
added for
preservation
purpose.

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Urease strips (available in the
Medical stores) because Synthetic
milk is devoid of protein.
9.

Test for Glucose/

inverted sugar

Milk does not contain glucose /invert

sugar, if test for glucose with urease
strip found positive. It means milk is
adulterated.

10. Ghee, cottage

cheese, condensed
milk, khoa, milk
powder etc,

Coal Tar Dyes

Add 5 ml of dil. H 2 SO 4 or conc. HCL to

one teaspoon full of melted sample
in a test tube. Shake well. Pink colour
(in case of H 2 SO4 ) or crimson colour
(in case of HCl) indicates coal tar
dyes. If HCl does not give colour
dilute it with water to get the colour.

MILK AND MILK

PRODUCTS
1.
Sweet Curd

2.

Rabdi

3.

4.

Vanaspati

Take1 teaspoon full of curd in a test tube.

Add 10 drops of hydrochloric acid. Mix up
the contents shaking the test tube gently.
After 5 minutes, examine the mixture. The
red colouration indicates the presence of
vanaspati in the curd.

Blotting paper

Take a teaspoon of rabri in a test tube. Add

3 ml of hydrochloric acid and 3 ml of
distilled water. Stir the content with a glass
rod. Remove the rod and examine.
Presence of fine fibres to the glass rod will
indicate the presence of blotting paper in
rabri.

Khoa and
its
products

Starch

Chhana or
Paneer

Starch

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Boil a small quantity of sample with some

water, cool and add -a few drops of Iodine
solution. Formation of blue colour
indicates the presence of starch

If it is made
synthetically by
adding while
colour water
paint. Oils, alkali,
urea and
detergent etc.
Glucose, inverted
sugar syrup is
added in milk to
increase the
consistency and
test

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Boil a small quantity of sample with some
water, cool and add a few drops of Iodine
solution. Formation of blue colour
indicates the presence of starch.

OILS AND FATS

1.
Ghee

Vanaspathy or
Margarine

Take about one tea spoon full of melted

sample of Ghee with equal quantity of
concentrated Hydrochloric acid in a
stoppered test tube and add to it a pinch
of sugar. Shake for one minute and let it
for five minutes. Appearance of crimson
colour in lower (acid) of Vanaspati or
Margarine.

The test is
specific
for
seasame
oil
which
is
compulsorily
added
to
Vanaspati and
Mrgarine.
Some coal tar
colours
also
give a positive
test.
If the test is
positive i.e.
red colour
develops
only
by
adding
strong
Hydrochloric
acid
(without
adding
crystals of
sugar) then
the sample
is
adulterated
with coal tar
dye. If the
crimson or
red colour
develops
after adding
and shaking
with sugar,
then alone
Vanaspati or
Margarine is
present

2.
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Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Mashed Potatoes,
Sweet Potatoes and
other starches.

3.
Butter

Vanaspati or
Margarine

4.

5.

Mashed potatoes
other starches

Edible oil

Prohibited colour

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The presence of mashed potatoes and

sweet potatoes in a sample of ghee can
easily be detected by adding a few drops
of Iodine, which is brownish in colour
turns to blue if mashed potatoes/sweet
potatoes/other starches are present.

Take about one teaspoon full of melted

sample of butter with equal quantity of
concentrated Hydrochloric acid in a
stoppered test tube and add to it a pinch
of sugar. Shake for one minute and let it
for five minutes. Appearance of crimson
colour in lower (acid) of Vanaspati or
Margarine.

The presence of mashed potatoes and

sweet potatoes in a sample of butter can
easily e detected by adding a few drops of
iodine (which is brownish in colour), turns
to blue.
Take 5 ml of sample in a test tube and add

The test is
specific for
seasame oil
which is
compulsorily
added to
Vanaspati and
Mrgarine.
Some coal tar
colours also
give a positive
test.
If the test is
positive i.e.
red colour
develops only
by adding
strong
Hydrochloric
acid (without
adding crystals
of sugar) then
the sample is
adulterated
with coal tar
dye. If the
crimson or red
colour
develops after
adding and
shaking with
sugar, then
alone
Vanaspati or
Margarine is
present

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

6.

Coconut oil

5 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid.

Shake gently, let it stand for 5 minutes.
Colour will separate in the upper layer of
the solution.
Place a small bottle of oil in refrigerator.
Coconut oil solidifies leaving the adulterant
as a Separate layer.

Any other oil

SWEETENING AGENTS
1.

Sugar

2.
3.

4.

Chalk powder

Urea

On dissolving in water it gives a smell of

ammonia.

Chalk powder

Dissolve 10 gm of sample in a glass of

water, allow to settle, chalk will settle
down at the bottom.

Yellow colour
permitted)

5.

Honey

6.

7.

Dissolve 10 gm of sample in a glass of

water, allow settling, Chalk will settle
down at the bottom.

(Non- Take 5 ml in a tests tube from the above

solution and add a few drops of conc.
Hcl. A pink colour in lower acid layers
shows the presence of non- permitted
colour.

Sugar solution

A cotton wick dipped in pure honey

when lighted with a match stick burns
and shows the purity of honey. If
adulterated, the presence of water will
not allow the honey to burn, If it does;
it will produce a cracking sound.

Jaggery

Washing soda

jaggery

Chalk powder

Add a few drops of solution HCL.

Effervesence shows presence of washing
soda.
Dissolve a little amount sample in water
in a test tube, chalk powder settles
down.
-OrAdd a few drops of conc Hcl solution,
effervescence indicates the presence of
adulterant.
Take of a teaspoon of the jaggery in a
test tube. Add 3 ml of alcohol and shake
the tube vigorously to mix up the
content. Pour 10 drops of hydrochloric

8.

Metanil yellow colour

Eat Pure..... Live Pure....

10

This test is
only for
added water.

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

acid in it. A pink colouration indicates the
presence of metanil yellow colours in
jaggery.
9.

Sugar solution

Add a drop of honey to a glass if water,

if the drop does not disperse in water it
indicates that the honey i s pure.
However, if the drop disperse s in water
it indicates presence of added sugar.

10. Bura sugar

Washing soda

Add 1 ml of HCl to a little of bura sugar.

Efferve scence occurs if washing soda
is pre sent. Di ssolve 2 gm of sugar in
water; dip a red litmus paper in the
solution. If washing soda is pre sent, it
will turn blue.

11.

Sweetmeats,
Ice-cream
and
beverages

Metanil yellow (a nonpermitted coal tar

colour)

Extract colour with luke-warm water

from food articles. Add few drops of
concentrated Hydrochloric acid. If
magenta red colour develops the
presence of metanil yellow is
indicated.

Saccharin

i. Taste a small quantity. Saccharin

leaves a lingering sweetness on tongue
for a considerable time and leaves a
bitter taste at the end.

FOOD GRAIN AND THEIR PRODUCTS

1.

Wheat, Rice,
Maize, Jawar,
Bajra, chana,
Barley etc.

Dust,
pebble,
stone,
straw,
weed
seeds,
damaged grain,
weevilled grain,
insects,
rodent
hair and excreta

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These may be examined visually to see

foreign matter, damaged grains,
discoloured grains, insect, rodent
contamination etc.

Damaged /
discoloured
grains should
be as low as
possible since
they may be
affected by
fungal toxins,
argemone
seeds, Dhatura
seeds etc. In
moderately
excessive
amount can
result in risk to
health, Discard
the damaged

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

undesirable
grains before
use

2.

Maida

3.

Maida/ Rice

4.

Wheat
and
grains

bajra
other

5.

Wheat
and
grains

bajra Dhatura
other

6.

Wheat
and
grains

bajra
other

7.

Sella
Rice
(Parboiled
Rice)

Resultant atta or When dough is prepared from resultant or

cheap flour
left out atta, more water has to be used.
The normal taste of chapattis prepared out
of wheat is somewhat sweetish whereas
those prepared out of adulterated wheat
will taste insipid.
Boric Acid
Take a small amount of sample in a test
tube, add some water and shake. Add a
few drops of HCl. Dip a turmeric paper strip
if it turns red, boric acid is present.
Ergot (a fungus
containing
poisonous
substance)

Dhatura seeds are flat with edges with

blackish brown colour which can be
separated out by close examination.

Karnel Bunt

The affected wheat kernel have a dull

appearance, blackish in colour and rotten
fish smell,

Metanil yellow
(a non-permitted
coal tar colour)

Rub a few grains in the palms of two

hands. Yellow would get reduced or
disappear. Add a few drops of dilute
Hydrochloric acid to a few rice grains
mixed with little water, presence of pink
colour indicates presence of Metanil
yellow

8.
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(i) Purple black longer sized grains in

Bajra show the presence of Ergots.
(ii) Put some grains In a glass tumbler
containing 20 per cent salt solution (20
gm common salt to 100 ml water)purple
black longer size grain Ergot floats over
the surface while sound grains settle
down.

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Turmeric
(colouring
golden
appearance)

9.

Parched rice

Urea

10. Wheat flour

Excess bran

11. Wheat flour

Chalk powder

12.

Khesari Dal

Dal whole
and spilt

for

13

14.

Clay, stone,
gravels, webs,
insects, rodent
hair and excreta
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Take a small amount of sample in a test

tube, add some water and shake.
Dip Boric acid paper (filter paper dipped
in Boric acid solution) If it turns pink
turmeric is present
(ii) Take some rice and sprinkle on it a
small amount of soaked lime for some
time, grains will turn red if turmeric is
present.
Take 30 numbers of parched rice in a test
tube. Add 5ml of distilled water in it. Mix up
the contents thoroughly, by shaking the test
tube. After 5 minutes, filter the watercontents, and add teaspoon of powder of
arhar or soybean in it. Leave it for 5
minutes, and then dip a red litmus paper in
the mixture. Take out the litmus paper after
30 seconds and examine it. A blue
colouration indicates the presence of urea
in the parched rice.
Sprinkle on water surface. Bran will float on
the surface.
Shake sample with dil. HCl Effervescence Chalk powder is
indicates chalk.
used as an
adulterant due to
its weight.
(i) Khesari dal has edged type appearance
showing a slant on one side and square in
appearance in contrast to other daIs.

(ii) Add 50 ml of dilute Hydrochloric acid

to the sample and keep on simmering
water for about 15 minutes. The pink
colour developed indicates the presence
of Khesari dal.

The test is only

for Khesari dal.
(Metanil
yellow if
present will
give a similar
colour
immediately
even without
simmering).

Visual examination will detect these

adulterants

Reject if the
number of
Insects is large
or if the odour
is unpleasant

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

and taste
bitter or gritty

15.

16.

Atta, Maida
Suji (Rawa)

17.

18. Bajra

Sago

19. Besan

20.

21. Pulses

Metanil yellow
(a non permitted
coaltar colour)

Take 5 gms of the sample with 5 ml. of

water in a test tube and add a few drops
of concentrated Hydrochloric acid. A pink
colour shows presence o Metanil yellow

Sand, soil, insects,

webs, lumps.
rodent hair and
excrete

These can be identified by visual

examination.

Iron filings

By moving a magnet through the sample,

iron filings can be separated.

Ergot infested Bajra.

Sand or talcum

Metanil Yellow

Take teaspoon of the besan in a test tube.

Pour 3 ml of alcohol in the test tube. Mix up
the contents thoroughly by shaking the test
tube. Add 10 drops of hydrochloric acid it. A
pink colouration indicates presence of
metanil yellow in the gram powder.

Khesari Flour

Add 50 ml of dilute Hydrochloric acid to

10 gms of sample and keep on simmering
water for about 15 minutes. The pink
colour, if developed, indicates, the
presence of Khesari flour

Lead Chromate

Shake 5 gm. Of pulse with 5 ml. Of

water and add a few drops of HCl. Pink
colour indicates Lead Chromate.

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14

Soak bajra in water, swollen and black Ergot

infested grains will turn light in weight and
will float in water
Put a little quantity of sago in mouth, it will
have a gritty feel, if adulterated. Burn the
sago, if pure, it will swell and leave hardly
any ash. Adulterated sago will leave behind
appreciable quantity of ash.

The test is only

for Khesari dal
(Metanil
yellow, if
present will
give a similar
colour even
without
simmering).

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

SPICES
1.

2.

Whole spices

Black pepper

3.

4.

5.

6.
7.

8.

Cloves

cloves

Dirt, dust, straw,

insect, damaged
seeds, other seeds,
rodent hair and
excrete

Papaya seeds

Papaya seeds can be separated out

from pepper as they are shrunken,
oval in shape and greenish brown or
brownish black in colour.

Light black pepper

Float the sample of black pepper in

alcohol (rectified spirit). The black
pepper berries sink while the papaya
seeds and light black pepper float.
(ii) Press the berries with the help of
fingers light peppers will break easily
while black berries of pepper will not
break.

Coated with
mineral oil

Black pepper coated with mineral oil

gives Kerosene like smell.

Volatile oil
extracted
(exhausted cloves)

Exhausted cloves can be identified by

its small size and shrunken appearance.
The characteristic pungent of genuine
cloves is less pronounced in exhausted
cloves

Coated with mineral

oil

Mustard seed

Argemone seed

Powdered
spices

Added starch

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These can be examined visually

Cloves coated with mineral oil gives

kerosene like smell
Mustard seeds have a smooth surface
The argemone seed have grainy and
rough surface and are black and hence
can be separated out by close
examination. When Mustard seed is
pressed inside it is yellow while for
Argemone seed it is white

Use magnifying
glass for
identification.

Add a few drops of tincture of Iodine or

Iodine solution. Indication of blue colour
shows the presence of starch.

Iodine test for

added starch is not
applicable for

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

turmeric powder.

9.
10.

Powdered
spices
Turmeric
powder

Common Salt
Coloured saw dust

11. Turmeric whole

12.

Lead chromate
Chalk powder or
yellow soap stone
powder

13. Chillies powder

Brick powder, salt

powder or talc,
powder

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Taste for addition of common salt.

Take a tea spoon full of turmeric
powder in a test tube. Add a few
drops of concentrated Hydrochloric
acid. Instant appearance of pink
colour which disappears on dilution
with water shows the presence of
turmeric If the colour persists, metanil
yellow (an artificial colour) a not
permitted coal tar colour is present.

This test is only

for Metanil
yellow

Appears to be bright in colour which

leaves colour immediately in water.
Take a small quantity of turmeric
powder in a test tube containing
small quantity of water. Add a few
drops of concentrated Hydrochloric
acid,
effervescence
(give
off
bubbles) will indicate the presence
of chalk or yellow soap stone
powder
Take a tea spoon full of chillies powder
in a glass of water. Coloured water
extract will show the presence of
artificial colour.

This test is only

for earthy
material

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Any grittiness that may be felt on
rubbing the sediment at the bottom of
glass confirms the presence of brick
powder/sand, soapy and smooth
touch of the white residue at the
bottom indicates the presence of soap
stone.

14.

Artificial colours

15.

16.

Asafoetida
(Hing)

To a little powder of chilli add small

amount of conc HCl and mix to the
consistency of paste, dip the rear end
of the match stick into the paste and
hold over the flame, brick red flame
colour due to the presence of calcium
slats in brick powder.
Sprinkle the chilli powder on a glass of
water. Artificial colorants descend as
coloured streaks.

Water soluble coal

tar colour

Water soluble artificial colour can be

detected by sprinkling a small
quantity of chillies or turmeric powder
on the surface of water contained in a
glass tumbler. The water soluble
colour
will
immediately
start
descending in colour streaks

Soap stone or other

earthy material

Shake little portion of the sample with

water and allow to settle. Soap stone
or other earthy mailer will settle
down at the bottom.

17.

Starch

Add tincture of iodine, appearance of

blue colour shows the presence of
starch.

18.

Foreign resin

Burn on a spoon, if the sample burns like

camphor, it indicates the sample is pure.

19. Spices

Powdered bran and Sprinkle on water surface. Powdered

saw dust
bran and sawdust float on the surface.
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In compounded
asafoetida due
to presence of
starch, a slight
turbid solution
may be
produced.
However, this
will settle down
after keeping
Compound of
asafoetida contains
starch which is
declared on the
label. This test is
not applicable for
compound
asafoetida.
Pure hing burns
like aromatic
camphor

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

20. Cinnamon

Cassia bark

21. Cumin seeds

Cinnamon barks are very thin and can be

rolled. It can be rolled around a pencil or
pen. It has a distinct smell. Whereas
cassia ark comprise of several layers in
between the rough outer and inner most
smooth layers. On examination of the
ark loosely, a clear distinction can be
made.
Grass seeds coloured Rub the cumin seeds on palms. If palms
with charcoal dust
turn black adulteration is indicated.

22. Green chilli and Malachite green

green
vegetables.

Take a cotton piece soaked in liquid

paraffin and rub the outer green surface
of a small part of green vegetable. If the
cotton turns, green, we can say the
vegetable is adulterated with malachite
green.

23. Green peas

Take a little amount of green peas in a

250 ml beaker add water to it and mix
well. Let it stand for half an hour. Clear
separation of colour in water indicates
adulteration.

24.

Artificially coloured

Dried tendrils
maizecob

Saffron

of

Genuine saffron will not break easily

like artificial. Artificial saffron is
prepared by soaking maize cob in
sugar and colouring it with coal tar
colour. The colour dissolves in water if
artificially coloured. A bit of pure
saffron when allowed to dissolved in
water will continue to give its saffron
colour so long as it lasts

MISCELLENIOUS PRODUCTS
1.

2.

Common
salt

Iodized salt

White powdered

Stir a spoonful of sample of salt

in a glass of water. The
presence of chalk will make
solution white and other
insoluble impurities will settle
down.

Common salt

Cut a piece of potato, add salt and wait

minute and add two drops of lemon
juice. If iodized salt blue colour will

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Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

develop. In case of common salt, there

will be no blue colour.
3.

Tea
leaves

Exhausted tea

Take a filter paper and spread a few tea

leaves. Sprinkle with water to wet the
filter paper. If coal tar colour is present it
would immediately stain the filter paper.
Wash the filter paper under tap water and
observe the stains against light
Spread a little slaked lime on white
porcelain tile or glass plate; sprinkle a little
tea dust on the lime. Red, orange or other
shades of colour spreading on the lime will
show the presence of coal tar colour. In
case of genuine tea, there will be only a
slight greenish yellow colour due to
chlorophyll, which appear after some time.

4.

Iron fillings

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Chicory

Supari
Pan
Masala

Colour

Saccharin

Catachu
powder
Lemonade
soda

Chalk

Mineral acid

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19

By moving a magnet through the sample,

iron filling can be separated.
Gently sprinkle the coffee powder
sample on the surface of water in
a glass. The coffee floats over the
water but chicory begins to sink
down within a few seconds. The
falling chicory powder particles
leave behind them a trail of
colour, due to large amount of
caramel

Colour
water

dissolves

in

Saccharin gives excessive and

lingering sweet taste and leaves
bitter taste at the end.
Chalk gives effervescence (gives
off bubbles) with concentrated
Hydrochloric acid
Pour 2 drops of the lemonade soda on a
metanil yellow paper- strip. A violet
colouration indicates the presence of

This test is only

for Chalk.

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

mineral acid in aerated water. The colour
impression gets retained even after drying
the paper (you can prepare metanil yellow
paper strips by soaking filter paper strips in
0.1 % aqueous solution and then drying the
paper strips).
10.

Sweet Potato

Rhodamine B colour

11.

Pulses

Lead Chromate

12.

Iodized salt

Common salt

13.

14.

Silver leaves

Vinegar

Aluminium leaves

Mineral Acid

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20

Take a cotton piece soaked in liquid

paraffin, and rub the outer red surface
of the sweet potato. If the cotton
absorb colour, it indicates the use of
rhodamine B colours on the outer
surface of the sweet potato.
Shake 5 gm. Of pulse with 5 ml. Of
water and add a few drops of HCl. Pink
colour indicates Lead Chromate.
Cut a piece of potato, add salt and wait
minute and add two drops of lemon
juice. If iodized salt blue colour will
develop. In case of common salt, there
will be no blue colour.
(i). On ignition, genuine silver
leaves burn away completely,
leaving glistering white spherical
ball of the same mass whereas
aluminium leaves are reduced to
ashes of dark grey blackish colour.
(ii), Take silver leaves in test tube,
add diluted Hydrochloric acid.
Appearance of turbidity to white
precipitate indicates the presence
of silver leaves. Aluminium leaves
do not give any turbidity or
precipitate.
(iii) Take aluminium leaves in palm
and rub between both the palms of
the hand, silver leaves completely
disappear in the hand; however
presence of small ball in the palm
indicates
adulteration
with
aluminium leaves.

Test with the Metanil yellow indicator

paper, in case, the colour changes from
yellow to pink, mineral acid is present

Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

ANNEXURE I
Reagents in Instruction manual Part I
REAGENT NO.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

CHEMICAL
Conc HCL.
Tincture of Iodine
Iodine solution
Conc Sulfuric Acid.
Liquid Paraffin.
Slake Lime (Chuna)
Boric Acid.
Metanil yellow colours.
Red litmus paper.
Urease strip
Alcohol.
Carbon tetra chloride

Apparatus in the Instruction Manual Part I

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Test Tubes
Burner
White Tile
Filter paper
Magnet.
Test tube holder
Glass cylinder
Dropper
Spatula
Magnifying glass

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Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Annexure II
PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN

Chemical no: 1,2,3,4 are corrosive use gloves and handle with care.
Chemical No 11 is highly inflammable. Keep away from fire.
Chemical No: 6- avoid inhalation.
Always keep the chemicals away from the reach of children.
In case of spillage of chemical reagents on body or cloth, wash with plenty of
cold water till the reagent is completely washed away.

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Quick Test For some Adulterants In Food- Instruction Manual Part 1

Eat Pure..... Live Pure....

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