14 August 2015
The Bane Of Food Adulteration And
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Adulteration Of FoodstuffsFood adulteration is on the rise today. Earlier it was targetted during the festivals but today it has become an everyday affair in things we purchase and eat/drink to survive. In milk, vegtables and fruits, and of course more...
Adulteration of foodstuffs is a big concern in developing countries as there is no strict check on who is doing what. Though parameters are in force, there are health department staff who are supposed to keep a tab on the traders and manufacturers, corruption is the root cause why adulteration has not been controlled so far. It is so rampant that every few days you hear of some people getting sick from consuming adulterated foodstuff. Even children are not spared as there have been regular reports of school children getting sick after having their midday meals in government schools. Eating adulterated sweets which are usually found during festival seasons can affect the stomach, liver, kidneys, skin and eyes. Artificial colors and essences can also cause cancer. Kit To Check Food Adulteration
Adulteration of food stuffs/spices is a big business and as festivals approach it gains momentum. Traders have no shame in risking the life of other humans and I sometimes feel they have absolutely no conscience left in them that can prick them and tell them that what they are doing is criminal.
Now it is up to the consumers themselves to make sure the food they consume is not adulterated and safe to consume. For this you can keep a small home kit. You will need a few things that are listed below: Magnifying glass Lactometer Beakers Droppers Test tubes Filter papers White silk cloth Hydrochloric acid Iodine Cotton Nail polish remover These things are not very expensive and even if a few things are they are definitely cheaper than your life and health so please keep this kit at home. |
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How To Check Food Adulteration YourselfFood items that are most adulterated:
Milk : It is adulterated with water, starch, urea, vanaspati, detergent etc. How to check : For water : Put a drop of milk on a smooth slanting surface. Pure milk drop will be slow to flow and leave a white milky trail behind while the water added milk with run off fast without a trail. For starch : Add tincture iodine drops to the milk. It will turn blue. For urea : Add little milk in a test tube. Put in 1/2 tsp soyabean powder. Mix well by shaking the test tube and after 5 minutes dip a red litmus paper in it for 1/2 minute. Remove it and it will turn a blue color. For vanaspati : To 3ml milk in a test tube add 10 drops hydrochloric acid. Mix 1 tsp sugar in it. A red color after 5 minutes indicates vanaspati is present. For detergent : Add 10 ml water to 10 ml milk and shake vigorously. If lather is present it is adulterated with detergent. Sugar : It is adulterated with chalk powder. How to check : Mix 10 grams sugar in a glass of water. Wait for 2 minutes. If some white substance settles down at the bottom of the glass it is chalk powder. Tea leaves : It is adulterated with colored leaves and old tea leaves. How to check: Rub tea leaves on white paper and if adulterated the color will come off. When tea leaves are sprinkled on wet filter paper they will leave red or pink color if adulterated. Red chilli powder : It is adulterated with brick powder. How to check : Put 2 grams red chilli powder in a test tube and add 5 ml acetone in it. If it shows red color immediately it is adulterated. Cinnamon : It is adulterated with bark of the Guava tree. How to check : Keep the cinnamon stick on the palm and rub it. If it is not cinnamon it will not leave color. Silver foil : It is adulterated with aluminium foil How to check : When lighted silver foil burns completely. If it is adulterated with aluminium foil it leaves behind a grey colored ash. Coffee : It is adulterated with chicory How to check : Put some coffee powder in water. Pure coffee will float on the water. If adulterated it will sink in water. When tilted the surface of the water will appear colored because of the caramel. Ice cream : It is adulterated with washing powder and saccharin. How to check : Add lime juice to ice cream. If there is washing powder then it will form foam. If there is saccharin in it then it will become very bitter to taste. Asafoetida (Hing) : It is adulterated with soap stone and soil. How to check : Mix asafoetida in water and leave it for sometime. The soap stone and soil will settle down. Coriander powder : It is adulterated with dry cow dung. How to check : Mix coriander powder in water. The cow dung will float on water. It will also emit a foul smell. Honey : It is adulterated with water and sugar water. How to check : Soak cotton in honey and burn it. If it burns completely it is pure. If not it is adulterated. If it makes sounds while burning it is mixed with sugar. Turmeric : It is adulterated with metallic yellow color. How to check : Add turmeric to water and then add a few drops of hydrochloric acid. If the color turns purple then it is adulterated with metallic yellow color. Salt : It is adulterated with white stone powder. How to check : Mix salt in water. If the color turns white it is adulterated. The material will settle down at the bottom. Black pepper : It is adulterated with papaya seeds. How to check : Mix black pepper with alcohol. The black pepper will settle down while the papaya seeds will float on top. These are but a few foodstuffs that are adulterated. The list is very long. PrecautionsBe careful while using chemicals/reagents while using them as they can be corrosive, inflammable and toxic on inhalation.
Use gloves while checking and keep them away from heat, fire, and children, most of all. Ensure proper care is taken while using and storing them. Be AwareTo conclude this topic I would suggest all of us should keep ourselves aware of how food can be adulterated and take steps to not only stay away from such foods to ensure we stay healthy but also bring to the notice of the health department anyone we find indulging in such activities in the larger interest of the society.
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