TOPIC

FOOD
ADULTERATION

ACKNOWLEGEMENT
I would like to to express my special thanks of gratitude to my Chemistry
teacher “Miss Salini Das” for their able guidance and support in
completing my Project.I would also like to extend my gratitude to the
Principal Sir “Mr. Swarup Bhunia”.

I am also thankful to my parents who helped me a lot in finalizing this

project within the limited time frame.

INDEX

Serial No. Description Page No.

1. Acknowledgement
2. Certificate
3. Objective
4. Introduction
5. Types of adulterants
6. Methods of Food
Adulteration
7. Types of Food Adulterants
8. Why Food Adulteration is
done?
9. Detection of Food
Adulterants
10. List of Food Adulterants
11. Prevention of Food
Adulteration
12. Conclusion
13. Bibliography

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that …………………… , a student of Class …(Science)
has successfully completed their Chemistry Project on “Food
Adulteration” under the guidance of “………………….”during the academic
session of…………………….
Teacher’s Signature Examiner’s signature

Principal’s Signature

OBJECTIVE
The Objective of this project is to study some of the common
food adulterants present in different food stuffs. Adulteration in foo
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 adulterant and their effect
on health.
 Introduction
Food- Food is material that comes from animals or plants. It is
eaten by living things to provide energy.

Adulteration- Adulteration is the act of making of something impure

or altering its original form by adding materials or elements that
usually are not a part of it.

Food Adulteration- This takes place when intentionally or

unintentionally substances that degrade the quality of food are
added to it.Thus, food adulteration can be defined as the
contamination or adulteration of food or food materials by adding
harmful substances to it.
 Methods of Food Adulteration
 The article sold by a vendor is not of the nature, substance or
quality demanded by the purchaser;

 The article contains any other substance which affects the

nature, substance or quality;

 The article had been prepared packed or kept under insanitary

conditions whereby it has become contaminated or injurious to
health;

 The article obtained from a diseased animal;

 The article contains any prohibited preservative or permitted

preservative in excess of the prescribed limits;

 Any colouring matter other than the prescribed is present in the

article;

 The article consists wholly or in part of any filthy putrid, rotten,

decomposed, diseased animal, vegetable substance or is
insect infested or is otherwise unfit for human consumption.
Adulterated foods is dangerous because it may be toxic and can
affect health which might affect in growth and development of a
human.

Types of Adulterants:
1.Intentional Adulteration-
When substance which look similar to the constituents of the
food are added to it, to increase its weight and gain more
profit.Examples- Sand ,marble chips, stones, mud ,other filth, talc,
chalk powder, water, mineral oil and harmful colour.

2.Incidental Adulteration-
This occurs due to negligence while handling food.Like-
pesticide residues, droppings of rodents, larvae in foods.

3.Metallic Adulteration-
The addition of metallic materials into food.For examples-
Arsenic from pesticides, lead from water,effluent from chemical
industries, tin from cans.It may happen accidentally or
intentionally.
4.Packaging Hazard-
The packing materials in which the food is packed may also
interfere and mix with the constituents of the food, leading to
packaging hazards.

Why is Food Adulteration is done ?

This process of contaminating food or adding to the food
components is a common phenomenon in developing countries.

For instance:Milk can be diluted by adding water to increase is

quantity and starch powder is often added to increase its solid
content.

Listed below are the main reasons for adulterating food products:

 Practised as a part of the business strategy.

 An imagination of some other food consumption.

 Lack of the knowledge of proper food consumption.

 To increase the quantity of food production and sales.

 Increased food demand for a rapidly growing population.

 To make maximum profit from food items by fewer investments.

Detection of Food Adulterants
Food adulteration has many ill effects. Prolonged consumption of
adulterated food may even prove to be lethal. The use of organic
food is more trending these days,as organic foods give us
complete nutrition that a particular food is supposed to give. It is
not laden with harmful chemicals or polished with toxins like wax.
But,due to low productivity, organic food is not always available
and is more expensive than the common produce. Therefore,it is
important to detect if your food is adulterated.Various home
methods can be used to do this.

Example- To determine if milk is adulterated with detergents, take

some milk in a bottle along with some water and shake it well. If it
settles into a frothy layer, it is pure. If the mil is adulterated, it forms
a thick layer.

Similarly,if you want to know if vegetables are polished with

colour , soak them in water for some time and you will be able to
see the colour getting dissolved in water.

1.Turmeric Powder:To determine if Turmeric Powder is

adulterated with chalk dust,sawdust or lead metal then a teaspoon
of turmeric powder is added to a glass of warm water.Do not stir it
and leave it still for a while.Check after about 20 minutes.If the
powder settles down at the bottom of the glass with clear water
above,the turmeric powder is pure.

2.Sugar:To determine if sugar is adulterated with chalk

powder,washing soda ,Urea etc. then take a glass of
water,dissolve 10 gm of sugar.If the adulterant is present then it
will settle down at the bottom of the glass.

3. Butter:To determine if Butter is adulterated with Vanaspati or

starch powder then take a tablespoon of butter and heat it in a
vessel.If the butter melts immediately and turns dark brownish in
colour,then it is pure.And,if it turns light yellow in colour,then it is
surely adulterated.
4.Chilli Powder:To determine if Chilli Powder is adulterated
with brick powder, salt powder or talc powder.Then add a
teaspoon of chilli powder to a glass of plain water.If it is artificially
coloured ,the water will change its colour.It may turn reddish-
brown,due to the presence of brick powder.

List of Food Adulterants

Food Adulterant Harmful Effects
Products
Milk and Curd Water and starch Stomach Disorders.
powder.
Ghee, Cheese Mashed potatoes, Gastro-intestinal
and Butter Vanaspati and disturbances and other
starch powder. stomach disorders.
Grains and Dust, Liver disorders, toxicity in
Pulses pebbles ,stones , the body ans stomach
straw, dyes disorders.
chemical and Lead
Chromate.
Coffee Powder Chicory,tamarind Diarrhoea.
seed powder.
Tea Artificial colouring Liver disorders.
Agents.
Sugar Chalk powder, Stomach disorders and
Washing Soda, Kidney failure.
Urea,etc.
Pepper Dried papaya Severe allergic reactions
seeds and black including stomach and skin
berries. irritations.
Mustard Seeds Argemone Seeds. Abdominal contractions ,
sluggishness and
increased excretion.
Edible Oil Mineral oil,Castor Gall Bladder cancer,
oil, etc. allergies paralysis , cardiac
arrest and increased LDL
cholesterol.
Chilli and Redbrick powder, Metal Toxicity,Cancer,lead
coriander red lead, soluble poisoning,tumour,variations
Powder salts,synthetic in blood pressure and other
colour etc. stomach related disorders.
Turmeric Pesticide residues, Cancer and Stomach
Powder sawdust,chalk disorders.
dust, lead
metal,etc.
Jam, Juices and Non permitted These dyes have a
Candies dyes including potential to cause different
meta nil yellow types of cancer.
and other artificial
dyes.
Jaggery Washing Vomiting and Stomach
soda,chalk Disorders.
 powder.
Honey Sugar and corn Stomach Disorders.
syrups.
Fruits and Chemical Stomach Disorders and
vegetables dyes,calcium vomiting.
carbide,copper
sulphate
Tomato Sauces Pumpkin pulp, non Gastritis and inflammation
edible artificial of vital organs.
colour and flavour.
Ice cream Pepper oil, ethyl Dreadful diseases that
acetate, washing affect organs including
powder, nitrate lungs , kidneys and heart.
and a gum which
is prepared by
boiling different
animal parts like
tails,nose etc.

Prevention of Food Adulteration

Every year,the 7th of April is celebrated as the World Health Day

globally and as per the reports,WHO is aimed to bring general
awareness about the adulteration of food products,motivate and
inspire everybody to have a healthy, balanced diet.
Here are some tips to avoid Adulteration:

1. Avoid dark coloured, junk and other processed foods.

2. Make sure to clean and store all the grains,pulses and other
food products.

3. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly in running water before

it is used.

4. Check the seal is valid or not,before buying the food products

like milk, oil and other products.

5. Always make sure to check and buy products having an

FSSAI- validated label,along with the license number, list of
ingredients, manufactured date, and its expiration.
 Conclusion

Selection of wholesome and no-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 absence of insects, visual
fungus, foreign matters etc. Therefore,due care taken by 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 owing 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 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 shops.
 Bibliography

 www.slideshare.com

 www.byjus.com

 www.shiksha.in

 www.techno.in

 www.researchgate.net