FOOD

ADULTERATION
Dr. Mohammad Hayatun Nabi
MPH(Aus), MHSM(Aus), MBBS
Dept. of Public Health
What is Adulteration?
Simple definition:
Reducing the purity of a food by the
addition of a foreign or inferior
substance or by the removal of
some valuable ingredient.

Defines almost every situation where the

quality of a food might by impaired to the
point where it should be removed from
interstate commerce.

Dr. Mohammad Hayatun Nabi 2

Adulteration

Greeks and Romans acted to prevent wine

makers from coloring and flavoring wine
Athens had public wine inspector
England proscribed scanting weight of

bakery goods
Edward the Confessor provided public

punishment for brewers of bad ale

Pliny the Elder mentioned adulteration of

bread

Dr. Mohammad Hayatun Nabi 3

Adulteration
Addition of sand to brown sugar and rice to
make heavier
Addition of colors to disguise poor quality
Snails added to milk to make more frothy
Addition of stone chips to rice to make

heavier
Addition of formalin to keep the fish fresh
Use carbide and other chemicals to fruits

and vegetables

Dr. Mohammad Hayatun Nabi 4

Intentional Adulteration
Salt and acid food preservatives
Food colors

Coal Tars in EU
Vegetable dyes in US
Pickles colored green with copper salts
Food Flavors

Pear, banana essence in fruit juices

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Intentional Adulteration
Milk adulterated with water and by
removal of cream
Butter adulterated with lard and

oleomargarine
Cheese made from skim milk or

cottonseed oil
Starch addition to sausages

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Adulteration
Criteria
Magic words:
Poisonous and deleterious
Added substances
Injurious to health

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Poisonous and
Deleterious
Poisonous = injurious effect or deadly
effect as result of chemical reaction
between substance and body
N2 gas in flour
Deleterious = broader term which
includes mechanical, physical and
bacterial agents
Shell fragments in Oysters

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Added Substances

Substances intentionally added to foods

are scrutinized more closely
Legal question is whether or not
substance is considered added or a
component of the food
Would now be considered food additives

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US v. Coca Cola
Issue: Was caffeine an added substance
in coca cola
Company argued caffeine even if added

separately should NOT be considered an

added substance because it is essential to
identity of product.
Court decided caffeine was an added

substance on basis of protection consumer

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Ordinarily Injurious
Oyster shell fragments in canned oysters.
Court held presence of shell fragments not

ordinarily injurious to health so product

not adulterated.

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Food Additives
Any substance which is intended to become
a component of a food product or which
affects a food product
Includes substances used for processing,

manufacture, packaging, treating, etc.

Including irradiation

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Food Additives
Direct food additives
Substance intended for use in food
Serve a particular functional effect
Indirect food additives
Substances that become a part of food from
processing, packaging or food contact surfaces
reasonably expected to become part of food
Accidental Additives
Substances which accidentally get into foods are
not considered food additives unless injurious to
health

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Food vs. Food Additive
Food is broad term that includes food
components, raw materials and food
additives
Food becomes a food additive when used as

a component in another food

Food additives require premarket approval

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Economic Adulteration

Food processed or manufactured in such

a way as to make it appear to be better
or of greater value than it is

Includes:
Appearance
Contents
Quantity
Volume

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Economic
Adulteration
P/D usually defined in relation to some
measure of harm
May render injurious
Ordinarily renders injurious
Unsafe
As necessary for public health
Poisonous without regard to quantity
Flourine or Monochloroacetic acid in beer

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Filthy/Putrid/Decomposed
Food is adulterated if consists in whole or in
part of filthy, putrid or decomposed
substances or if otherwise unfit for food
Products of diseased animals (died

otherwise than by slaughter)

Protects aesthetics and sensitivities of

consumers so contamination need not be

visible

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Other Adulteration
Criteria:
De Minimis quantities
Quantity of contaminant too small
Otherwise unfit
Question of fact
Tough rubbery fish
Insanitary conditions
Packaged or held under insanitary conditions

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Adulteration Summary
Adulteration is defined in terms of health,
potential for harm and reduction in
economic value
Standard is the measure of harm
May render injurious
Ordinarily injurious
Unsafe
Public health protection

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Thank you

Dr. Mohammad Hayatun Nabi 20