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s.no. Contents Page No.

I Objective 6
II Introduction 8
III Theory 9
IV Experiment 1 10
V Experiment 2 11
VI Experiment 3 12
VII Result 13
VIII Conclusion 14
IX Bibliography 15
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 The Objective of this project is to study some of
the common food adulterants present in
different food stuffs
Adulteration in food is normally present in its most
crude form; prohibited substances are either
added or partly or wholly substituted. Normally the
contamination/adulteration in food is done either
for financial gain or due to carelessness and lack
in proper hygienic condition of processing, storing,
transportation and marketing. This ultimately
results that the consumer is either cheated or
often become victim of diseases. Such types of
adulteration are quite common in developing
countries or backward countries. It is equally
important for the consumer to know the common
adulterants and their effect on health.
. The increasing number of food producers and the outstanding
amount of import foodstuffs enables the producers to mislead
and cheat consumers. To differentiate those who take
advantage of legal rules from the ones who commit food
adulteration is very difficult. The consciousness of consumers
would be crucial. Ignorance and unfair market behavior may
endanger consumer health and misleading can lead to
poisoning. So we need simple screening tests for their
detection. In the past few decades, adulteration of food has
become one of the serious problems. Consumption of
adulterated food causes serious diseases like cancer, diarrhoea,
asthma, ulcers, etc. Majority of fats, oils and butter are paraffin
wax, castor oil and hydrocarbons. Red chilli powder is mixed
with brick powder and pepper is mixed with dried papaya seeds.
These adulterants can be easily identified by simple chemical
tests. Several agencies have been set up by the Government of
India to remove adulterants from food stuffs. AGMARK -
acronym for agricultural marketing....this organization certifies
food products for their quality. Its objective is to promote the
Grading and Standardization of agricultural and allied
commodities.
.
To detect the presence of adulterants in fat, oil and butter.

REQUIREMENTS

Test-tube, acetic anhydride, conc. H2SO4, acetic acid, conc.

HNO3.

PROCEDURE
Common adulterants present in ghee and oil are paraffin wax,
hydrocarbons, dyes and argemone oil. These are detected as
follows :
(i) Adulteration of paraffin wax and hydrocarbon in vegetable ghee
Heat small amount of vegetable ghee with acetic anhydride.
Droplets of oil floating on the surface of unused acetic anhydride
indicates the presence of wax or hydrocarbons.
(ii) Adulteration of dyes in fat Heat 1mL of fat with a mixture of 1mL
of conc. sulphuric acid and 4mL of acetic acid. Appearance of pink
or red colour indicates presence of dye in fat.
(iii) Adulteration of argemone oil in edible oils To small amount of
oil in a test-tube, add few drops of conc. HNO3 and shake.
Appearance of red colour in the acid layer indicates presence of
argemone oil.
.
To detect the presence of adulterants in sugar

REQUIREMENTS

Test-tubes, dil. HCl.

PROCEDURE
Sugar is usually contaminated with washing soda and other
insoluble substances which are detected as follows :
(i) Adulteration of various insoluble substances in sugar Take
small amount of sugar in a test-tube and shake it with little water.
Pure sugar dissolves in water but insoluble impurities do not
dissolve.
(ii) Adulteration of chalk powder, washing soda in sugar To small
amount of sugar in a test-tube, add few drops of dil. HCl. Brisk
effervescence of CO2 shows the presence of chalk powder or
washing soda in the given sample of sugar.
.
To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of chilli powder,
turmeric powder and pepper

REQUIREMENTS
Test-tubes, conc. HCl, dil. HNO3, KI solution

PROCEDURE
Common adulterants present in chilli powder, turmeric powder and
pepper are red coloured lead salts, yellow lead salts and dried
papaya seeds respectively. They are detected as follows :
(i) Adulteration of red lead salts in chilli powder To a sample of chilli
powder, add dil. HNO3. Filter the solution and add 2 drops of
potassium iodide solution to the filtrate. Yellow ppt. indicates the
presence of lead salts in chilli powder.
(ii) Adulteration of yellow lead salts to turmeric powder To a sample
of turmeric powder add conc. HCl. Appearance of magenta colour
shows the presence of yellow oxides of lead in turmeric powder.
(iii) Adulteration of brick powder in red chilli powder Add small
amount of given red chilli powder in beaker containing water. Brick
powder settles at the bottom while pure chilli powder floats over
water.
(iv) Adulteration of dried papaya seeds in pepper Add small amount
of sample of pepper to a beaker containing water and stir with a
glass rod. Dried papaya seeds being lighter float over water while
pure pepper settles at the bottom.
 EXPT. EXPERIMENT PROCEDURE OBSERVATION
NO.

1 Adulteration of Heat small amount of vegetable Appearance of oil

paraffin wax and ghee with acetic anhydride. floating on the
hydrocarbon in Droplets of oil floating on the surface.
vegetable ghee surface of unused acetic anhydride
indicate the presence of wax or
hydrocarbon

. 2 Adulteration of dyes Heat 1mL of fat with a mixture of

1mL of conc. H2SO4 and 4mL of
acetic acid.
Appearance of pink
colour.

3 Adulteration of To small amount of oil in a test No red colour

argemone oil in edible tube, add few drops of conc. observed
oils HNO3 & shake.

4 Adulteration of various Take small amount of sugar in a Pure sugar dissolves

insoluble substances in test tube and shake it with little in water but insoluble
sugar water. impurities do not
dissolve.

5 Adulteration of chalk To small amount of sugar in a test No brisk

powder, washing soda tube, add a few drops of dil. HCl effervescence
in sugar observed.

6 Adeulteration of yellow To sample of turmeric powder, add Appearance of

lead salts to turmeric conc. HCl. magenta colour
powder

7 Adulteration of red To a sample of chilli powder, add No yellow ppt.

lead salts in chilli dil. HNO3. Filter the solution and
powder add 2 drops of KI solution to the
filtrate.

8 Adulteration of brick Add small amount of given red Brick powder settles
powder in chilli powder chilli powder in a beaker at the bottom while
containing water. pure chilli powder
floats over water.

9 Adulteration of dried Add small amount of sample of Dried papaya seeds

papaya seeds in pepper pepper to beaker containing water being lighter float
and stir with a glass rod. over water while pure
pepper settles at the
bottom.
.
Selection of wholesome and non-adulterated food is essential
for daily life to make sure that such foods do not cause any
health hazard. It is not possible to ensure wholesome food
only on visual examination when the toxic contaminants are
present in ppm level. However, visual examination of the food
before purchase makes sure to ensure absence of insects,
visual fungus, foreign matters, etc. Therefore, due care taken
by the consumer at the time of purchase of food after
thoroughly examining can be of great help. Secondly, label
declaration on packed food is very important for knowing the
ingredients and nutritional value. It also helps in checking the
freshness of the food and the period of best before use. The
consumer should avoid taking food from an unhygienic place
and food being prepared under unhygienic conditions. Such
types of food may cause various diseases. Consumption of
cut fruits being sold in unhygienic conditions should be
avoided. It is always better to buy certified food from reputed
shop.
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ENCARTA ENCYCLOPEDIA 2009

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