AISSCE 2021-22

CHEMISTRY
INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
Topic- Study of Adulterants in Food Products

Name: Ayushi Mitra

Roll No: 1255672
Delhi Public School Ruby Park Kolkata
Contents
Index
Certificate
Acknowledgment
Objective
Theory
Materials Required
Procedure
Observation
Conclusion
Bibliography
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Ayushi Mitra, a bona fide
student of student of Delhi Public School Ruby Park,
Kolkata of Class 12 has successfully completed her
chemistry project “Study of Adulterants in Food
Products” during the year 2021-22 as per CBSE
guidelines for the AISSCE Practical Examination
2021.

External Examiner:
Date:

Internal Examiner:
Date:
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my sincere gratitude towards my
Chemistry teacher Alokananda Bandyopadhyay
ma’am, who had given us the opportunity and space
to explore new avenues for the chemistry project;
Chemistry laboratory assistant, for standing with us
throughout our endeavours; CBSE for providing us
with a platform to illustrate our creativities; my
friends for their unconditional support and
cooperation. The book and the websites need special
mentions here as they laid the foundation of our
projects. And of course, my parents, without whose
guidance and perseverance, the project would not
have been possible.
 OBJECTIVE
Adulteration is an act of internationally
debasing the quality of food offered for sale
either by mixture or substitution of inferior
substances or by removal of some valuable
ingredient. In the past few decades adulteration
of food has become one of the most serious
problems. Consumption of adulterated food
leads to diseases like cancer, asthma and ulcer.
Majority of adulterants used by shopkeepers are
cheap substitutes which are easily available. In
order to prevent the adulteration of food
products by dishonest traders, the government
has issued, “The Prevention of Food
Adulteration Act”. The Bureau of Indian
Standards is the agency that provides the
certificate of food manufacturers in India.
THEORY
The increasing number of food producers and outstanding amount of
import foodstuff enables the producer to mislead and cheat consumers.
To differentiate those who take advantage of legal rules from one who
commits food adulteration is very difficult. The consciousness of
consumers would be crucial. Ignorance and unfair market behaviour can
endanger consumer health and misleading can lead to poisoning. So we
need screening tests for their detection. In the past few decades
adulteration of food has become one serious problem Consumption of
adulterated food causes diseases like cancer, diarrhea, asthma, ulcers,
etc. Majority of fats, oils and butter are paraffin wax, castor and
hydrocarbons. Red chili powder mixed with brick powder and black
pepper mixed with dried papaya seeds. These adulterants can be
identified with simple chemical tests. Several agencies have been set up
by Indian government to remove adulteration from food.

AGMARK: (acronym for agricultural marketing) this organization

certifies the food product for their quality.
Its objective is to promote the standardization of agricultural and other
allied commodities.
 FOOD ITEMS ADULTERANTS

Desi Ghee Vanaspati

Vegetable oil Paraffin wax
Sugar Chalk Powder
Chili Powder Red Lead salts
Mustard Oil Argemone Oil
Turmeric powder Yellow lead chalk powder
Some common food adulterants in India are:

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

 MATERIALS REQUIRED
 Concentrated Nitric acid
 Acetic Anhydride
 Concentrated Hydrochloric Acid
 Dilute Hydrochloric Acid
 Dilute Nitric acid
 Potassium Iodide
 Concentrated Sulphuric Acid
 Liquid Phenol
 Distilled Water
 Test Tubes
 Beaker
 Spirit Lamp
EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS
(PROCEDURE AND OBSERVATIONS)
SERIAL NO. AIM PROCEDURE OBSERVATION CONCLUSION

1. Detection of 5 ml. of mustard Orange yellow The presence of

Argemone oil oil is taken is a Colour is argemone oil in
As an adulterant test tube. To developed in the the sample is
In mustard oil this, 5 ml. of acid layer. confirmed.
Conc HNO₃
Is added and the
Test tube is
shaken.
2. Detection of Small amount of Droplets of oil The presence of
paraffin wax as vegetable ghee floating on paraffin wax is
an adulterant in is taken in a test surface of confirmed.
vegetable ghee. tube. Small unused acetic
amount of acetic anhydride.
anhydride is
added and the
test tube is
heated.
3. Detection of Small amount of Appearance of The presence of
Vanaspati ghee melted ghee is crimson colour vanaspati ghee is
as an adulterant taken in test in the bottom of confirmed.
In Desi ghee. tube. Conc HCL the test tube.
is added with a
pinch of sugar.
The test tube is
shaken well and
kept aside for 5
minutes.
4. Detection of Red Dilute HNO₃ is Formation of The presence of
lead salts as an added to a yellow coloured red lead salts is
adulterant in sample of chili precipitate. confirmed.
chili powder. powder in a test
tube. The
 solution is
filtered. Two
drops of
potassium iodide
are added to the
filtrate.

5. Detection of 2g turmeric Brisk The presence of

yellow chalk powder is taken effervescence. yellow chalk
powder as an in a test tube. powder is
adulterant in Few drops of confirmed.
turmeric water and then
powder. few drops of
HCL are added
to it.
6. Detection of 10 g of sugar is White The presence of
chalk powder as dissolved in precipitate. chalk is
an adulterant in water taken in a confirmed.
sugar. test tube and
kept aside for 2
minutes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Online resources:
• https://thechemistryguru.com/chemistry-project-detection-
adultration-food/
• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17280429/#:-
:text=Consumption%20of%20adulterated%20mustard
%20oil,condition%20referred%20as% 20epidemic
%20dropsy.&text=Argemone%20oil%20contamination
%20poses%20a,checked% 20appropriate%20regulatory
%20measures.
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/
Adulteration-in-mustard-oil-aroutine/articleshow/
4676784.cms
• https://www.coursehero.com/file/p1fgg1ih/They-are-
detected-as-follows-Adulterationof-red-lead-salts-in-chilli-
powder-To/