ADULTRATION - How Safe Is Your FOOD?????

verifier1

Department of General Medicine

Food adulteration is the process of lowering the nutritive value of food either by removing a vital component or by adding any substances of low quality.The substance that is used to lower the quality is called adulterants.  Due to this adulteration, food or drink becomes impure and unhealthy for human consumption.

"Adulteration", is a legal term means that a food product fails to meet federal or state standards.

The federal FDA( Food and Drug Administration) prohibits the transportation of adulterated foods, drugs, and cosmetics in interstate trade, as provided under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act 1938.

Some adulterated food products

Seafood :

The movement from metal to water, to plants to fishes ,to human to cancer is deadly. The smallest content of mercury in fish will send you fishing for life. The mercury ridden food enters human body in two ways. One is  by direct way with straight fish consumption and the second is through the birds which eat this fishes. This is not only for human but also for every life form.  Each life form which consumes it becomes part of this chain. Many deaths are reported due this mercury poisoning.

Turmeric, dals and pulses such as moong or channa:

Here adulterant is Kesari Dal and Metanil Yellow(Added to enhance the yellow colour of a food substance).It's harmful effect is that it is very carcinogenic and if consumed over a continuous period of time it can also cause stomach disorders.

Black pepper:

The adulterant is Papaya seeds (used to add bulk). It 's harmful effect is that Papaya seeds can cause serious liver problems and stomach disorders.

Detection : Add some of the adulterated sample to glass water,papaya seeds float while pepper seeds do not.

saffron

The saffron is adulterated when it is in the grounded form. Saffron is derived from saffron crocus with high grade one with red threads, the lower grade with lesser red or yellow threads. When grounded this mixture can have turmeric or other spices which are lot cheaper than saffron.

Honey

Honey is frequently adulterated with water to increase the bottle's quantity.

Detection : The best way to ensure that is, dip a cotton wick in pure honey and light it with a matchstick. If there is water in the jar it won't allow the honey to burn.

Green chillies, green peas and other vegetables:

Here the adulterant is Malachite Green (To accentuate the bright, glowing green colour of the vegetable). Argemone seeds (for bulk and weight) that it is a coloured dye  has proven to be carcinogenic for humans if consumed over a long period of time.

Detection : Those gorgeous green chillies are heat up in dishes may not actually be that green. So if you'd like to make sure , then take a piece of cotton soaked in liquid paraffin and rub a small portion of the chilli ,If the  cotton picks up any colour, then the chillis are adulterated.

Paneer, khoya, condensed milk and milk:

Here adulterant is starch (for thick and rich texture).It 's harmful effect is that it is unhygienic, unprocessed starch  and water can cause stomach disorders. Starch greatly lowers the nutritional value of the ingredient.

Detection : Put a drop of milk on a polished slanting surface. If it flows leaving a white trail behind, then it's pure but if it flows without leaving a mark ,it is adulterated. To make sure that the milk isn't synthetic, pay attention to its taste. Synthetic milk has  bitter, almost soapy taste and turns yellow on heating.

Chilli Powder

It is commonly adulterated with similar looking substance such as brick powder.

Detection : Small amount of sample is stirred it into a glass of water. If the water colour changes to  red and earthy then you know your powder was adulterated.

Cumin Seeds

Rub the cumin seeds in the palm of  hand. If they rub off a black colour then they've been coloured and are adulterated.

Tea leaves

Tea leaves are commonly adulterated with additives and  chemicals that add to its aroma or flavour. But most common kind is colour and here's how you can spot it.

Detection : Take a filter paper and spread a few tea leaves on it. Sprinkle small amount of  water over the filter. If there is any colour present in the leaves then it'll stain the paper.Then wash the filter paper under tap water and carefully look for stains against the light.

Coffee powder:

Here  the adulterant is Tamarind seeds and chicory powder .It 's harmful effect is that it can cause diarrhea, giddiness,stomach disorders and severe joint pains.

Mustard seeds and mustard oil:

Here the adulterant is Argemone seeds (for bulk and weight).Papaya seeds (used to add bulk) that the consumption of these may cause severe glaucoma and epidemic dropsy . Young children and senior citizens with poor immunity are more susceptible this.

Ice cream:

Here adulterant is pepper oil, ethylacetate, ethyl acetate, butraldehyde, nitrate, washing powder etc .Pepper oil is used as a pesticide and ethyl acetate causes dreadful diseases affecting heart,lungs and kidneys.

Reasons of food Adultration

• Sellers want profit
• Increase of food production
• To preserve food for economic activities
• To earn money in less time
• To make food look more fresh and natural

Effects Of Adultration On Humans

Symptoms like headache, muscular pain, gastro-intestinal disorders, drowsiness etc are appear, if adulterated food substances are used regularly.

Saftey And Precausions

• By taking a few precautions, we can escape from consuming adulterated products.
• Take only packed items of well-known companies.
• Buy items from reliable retail shops and recognized outlets.
• Take the help of food adulteration testing centres.
• Lodge complaints to the concerned authorities, if adulteration is detected.
• Check the ISI , FPO or AGMARK mark.
• Buy products of only air tight popular brands.

Wholesome and non-adulterated food is important for daily life to make sure that such foods do not cause any health hazard. It is not possible to protect wholesome food only on visual examination when the toxic contaminants are present in ‘ ppm ’ level. Although, visual examination of the food before purchase makes sure to ensure absence of insects, foreign matters,visual fungus etc.Therefore, due care taken by the consumer at the time of purchase of food after thoroughly examining can be of great help.

Label declaration on packed food is essential for knowing the ingredients and nutritional value.It also helps to examine the purity of the food and the period of best before use. The consumer should avoid taking food from an  dirty place and  the food being prepared under unhygienic conditions. Such types of food may cause so many diseases.Consumption of cut fruits being sold in unclean conditions should be avoided. It is always better to buy certified food from reputed shops.

Reference

• Adulterated food ; From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
• Food adulteration; Frank, Richard L.; Hahn, Robert A Hahn; Encyclopedia.com. 20 Nov. 2015 
• Food Adulteration ;International Journal of Inventions Today by V. Lakshmi, R.V.LABS, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India.
• Screen What You Eat: How to Spot Adulterated Food.
• Food adulteration from Info Please.