The sudden buzz about spice adulteration in the Indian and global markets has raised genuine concerns over the quality of spices we are consuming on a daily basis. Indian spices, which are traditionally loaded with nutrition and benefits, have now become a matter of concern as elements like rotten rice, wood dust, cow and horse dung, and many dangerous chemicals are being added to adulterate the spices, and these adulterated spices are being sold as expensive as pure ones.
Also Read: 15 tonnes of fake masala made with wood dust, chemicals, and rotten rice seized
Keeping in mind the rising concerns over quality foods and spices, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has started a series of videos that talk about food and spice adulteration at large and how a common man can perform an adulteration test at home.
Take a look at some of the most common spices and how one can perform their adulteration test at home.
Saffron: These days, saffron is adulterated with dried tendrils of maize cob in saffron. As per experts, consumption of maize cob by humans may cause stomach upset, bloating, gas, and diarrhea too. It contains traces of phytic acid, which may reduce mineral absorption in the body.
How to detect saffron adulteration
1. Fill a glass jar with hot water up to 70–80 degrees.
2. Add a few strands of saffron.
3. The unadulterated saffron will release its typical saffron color slowly into the water.
4. The adulterated saffron will immediately release color into the water.
Turmeric: This immunity-boosting spice is being adulterated with sella rice. Here’s how you can do a simple test at home.
Also Read: These countries have banned the sale of cancer-causing MDH anf Everest masalas
What is sella rice?
Sella rice is the most ‘in-demand’ variation of Basmati rice. The processing of the crop is done by first steaming it at the paddy stage and then drying it out before sending it for the milling process. This process is performed so that the rice is allowed to retain more minerals and vitamins from the original grain. To check the purity of Sella rice, FSSAI recommends the use of soaked lime. Soaked lime, or calcium hydroxide, is an inorganic compound. It is a colorless crystal or white powder and is made by mixing quicklime with water. It is used in traditional building methods to make plaster, mortar, and limewash.
How to detect turmeric adulteration in Sella Rice
Step 1
Take a glass plate with some Sella rice on top.
Step 2
Add a small amount of soaked lime, also known as chuna, to the rice grains.
Step 3
The soaked lime on the unadulterated rice shows no change in color.
Step 4
The soaked lime on the adulterated rice changes its color to red.
Black Pepper: These days, black pepper is being adulterated with blackberries, and here's how one can do the adulteration check.
How do you check for black pepper adulteration?
1. Take a small quantity of black pepper and place it on a table.
2. Press the berries with your finger.
3. The unadulterated berries will not break away easily.
4. The adulterated berries break away easily, showing they are light blackberries mixed with normal black pepper.
Chilli Powder: Chilli powder, which is one of the important spices that is used to add a kick to any dish, is being adulterated with red brick powder. Take a look at how to do the adulteration test.
Follow this 3-step test:
Step 1. Take a glass of water.
Step 2. Add a teaspoon of red chili powder to it.
Step 3. Now examine the residue. Take a small quantity of residue and rub it with your hand. If any grittiness is felt after rubbing, the chili powder is adulterated with brick powder or sand. And if you feel it to be soapy and smooth, then there's soap stone in it.
Table Salt: This is how you can use potatoes to check if your table salt is adulterated or not.
5 steps to check the purity of table salt:
1. Take a potato and cut it into two pieces.
2. Apply the samples of salt to the cut surfaces and wait for a minute.
3. Add 2 drops of lemon juice to both samples.
4. The potato does not change color because of the double-fortified salt.
5. Adulterated iodized salt makes the potato turn blue.
Try these simple tests at home and stay healthy and safe.
Also Read: 15 tonnes of fake masala made with wood dust, chemicals, and rotten rice seized
Keeping in mind the rising concerns over quality foods and spices, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has started a series of videos that talk about food and spice adulteration at large and how a common man can perform an adulteration test at home.
Take a look at some of the most common spices and how one can perform their adulteration test at home.
Saffron: These days, saffron is adulterated with dried tendrils of maize cob in saffron. As per experts, consumption of maize cob by humans may cause stomach upset, bloating, gas, and diarrhea too. It contains traces of phytic acid, which may reduce mineral absorption in the body.
How to detect saffron adulteration
1. Fill a glass jar with hot water up to 70–80 degrees.
2. Add a few strands of saffron.
3. The unadulterated saffron will release its typical saffron color slowly into the water.
4. The adulterated saffron will immediately release color into the water.
Turmeric: This immunity-boosting spice is being adulterated with sella rice. Here’s how you can do a simple test at home.
Also Read: These countries have banned the sale of cancer-causing MDH anf Everest masalas
What is sella rice?
Sella rice is the most ‘in-demand’ variation of Basmati rice. The processing of the crop is done by first steaming it at the paddy stage and then drying it out before sending it for the milling process. This process is performed so that the rice is allowed to retain more minerals and vitamins from the original grain. To check the purity of Sella rice, FSSAI recommends the use of soaked lime. Soaked lime, or calcium hydroxide, is an inorganic compound. It is a colorless crystal or white powder and is made by mixing quicklime with water. It is used in traditional building methods to make plaster, mortar, and limewash.
How to detect turmeric adulteration in Sella Rice
Step 1
Take a glass plate with some Sella rice on top.
Step 2
Add a small amount of soaked lime, also known as chuna, to the rice grains.
Step 3
The soaked lime on the unadulterated rice shows no change in color.
Step 4
The soaked lime on the adulterated rice changes its color to red.
Black Pepper: These days, black pepper is being adulterated with blackberries, and here's how one can do the adulteration check.
How do you check for black pepper adulteration?
1. Take a small quantity of black pepper and place it on a table.
2. Press the berries with your finger.
3. The unadulterated berries will not break away easily.
4. The adulterated berries break away easily, showing they are light blackberries mixed with normal black pepper.
Chilli Powder: Chilli powder, which is one of the important spices that is used to add a kick to any dish, is being adulterated with red brick powder. Take a look at how to do the adulteration test.
Follow this 3-step test:
Step 1. Take a glass of water.
Step 2. Add a teaspoon of red chili powder to it.
Step 3. Now examine the residue. Take a small quantity of residue and rub it with your hand. If any grittiness is felt after rubbing, the chili powder is adulterated with brick powder or sand. And if you feel it to be soapy and smooth, then there's soap stone in it.
Table Salt: This is how you can use potatoes to check if your table salt is adulterated or not.
5 steps to check the purity of table salt:
1. Take a potato and cut it into two pieces.
2. Apply the samples of salt to the cut surfaces and wait for a minute.
3. Add 2 drops of lemon juice to both samples.
4. The potato does not change color because of the double-fortified salt.
5. Adulterated iodized salt makes the potato turn blue.
Try these simple tests at home and stay healthy and safe.
