Food

Adulteration
A N E X P E R I M E N T B Y:
L O YA L J O S H U A P
Acknowledgement
I feel proud and privileged to such a great opportunity. I
would like to thank CBSE board, our Sr. Principal for
providing us this valuable time and support. I would also like
to thank our Chemistry teachers Mrs. Vanmathi and Mr.
Srinivasa Rao for helping and guiding us.
I would also like to thank my parents, friends, for
encouraging me and spending their valuable time for me. I
thank all my friends for extending their support in the
successful completion of this project. A big thanks to all the
helping hands behind this project success.
Objective
∙ The objective of this project is to study some of the common food
adulterants present in different foods items.
∙ Normally the contamination/adulteration in food is done either for
financial gain or due to carelessness and lack of proper hygienic
condition of processing, storing, transformation and marketing
∙ This ultimately results that the consumer is either cheated or often
become victim for 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 adulterants and their
effect on health. The increasing number of food producers and the outstanding
amount of import foodstuffs enables the producers to mislead and cheat the
consumers.
∙ To differentiate those who obey the legal rules from the ones who commit food
adulteration is very difficult. The consciousness of consumers would be very crucial.
∙ Ignorance and unfair market behavior may endanger consumer health and
misleading can lead to poisoning. So we need simple screening tests for their
detection.
Introduction
In the past few decades, adulteration of food has
become one of the serious problems. Consumption
of adulterated food causes serious diseases like
cancer, diarrhea, asthma, ulcer etc. Majority of
fats, oils and butter are mixed with paraffin wax,
castor oil and hydrocarbons. Red chilli powder is
mixed with brick powder and pepper is mixed
with papaya seeds. These adulterants can be easily
identified by simple chemical tests. Several
agencies have been set up by the Government of
India to remove adulterants from food stuffs.
AGMARK (an acronym for agricultural
marketing) is an organization that certifies food
products for their quality. Its objective is to
promote the Grading and Standardization of
agricultural and allied commodities.
Material Required
∙ Test Tube ∙ KI solution
∙ Acetic Anhydride ∙ Oil
∙ Conc. H SO
2 4 ∙ Butter
∙ Acetic Acid ∙ Vanaspathi
∙ Dil. HCl ∙ Sugar
∙ Conc. HCl ∙ Chilli Powder
∙ Dil. HNO 3
∙ Turmeric Powder
∙ Pepper
 Experiment 1

To detect the presence of adulterants in fat, oil and

butter.
Requirements:
Test Tube
Acetic Anhydride
Conc. H2SO4 Common adulterants
Acetic Acid present in ghee and
oil are paraffin wax,
Dil. HCl
dyes and Argemone
Conc. HCl Oil.
Dil. HNO3
KI solution
Oil
Butter
Vanaspathi
Procedure
∙ To test adulteration of paraffin wax and hydrocarbon in
vegetable ghee, heat small amount of vegetable ghee with acetic
anhydride. Droplets of oil floating on the surface of unused
acetic anhydride indicate the presence of wax or hydrocarbons.
∙ Adulteration of dyes in fat. Heat 1ml of fat with a mixture of
1ml of conc. Sulphuric acid and 4ml of acetic acid. Appearance
of pink or red colour indicated the presence of dyes in fat.
∙ Adulteration of argemone oil in edible oils. Take small amount
of oil in a test-tube, add a few drops of conc. HNO3 and shake.
Appearance of red colour in the acid layer indicated the
presence of argemone oil.
Observation
∙ No droplets of oil floating on the unused
acetic anhydride are found hence
indicating the absence of wax or
hydrocarbons in vegetable ghee.
∙ Appearance of pink or red colour is not
observed hence it indicates the absence
of dyes in fat.
∙ Appearance of red colour observed in the
acid layer hence indicating presence of
argemone oil.
 Experiment 2

To detect the presence of adulterants in sugar

Requirements:

Test Tube Sugar is usually

contaminated with
Dil. HCl Washing Soda and
other insoluble
Sugar Substances.
Procedure
∙ Sugar is usually contaminated with washing
soda and other insoluble which are detected
as follows.
∙ Adulteration of various insoluble substance
in sugar in test tube and shake it with little
water. Pure sugar dissolves in water but
impurities do not dissolve.
∙ Adulteration of salk powder, washing powder
in sugar. To small amounts of sugar add few
drops of HCl. Brisk effervescence of CO 2
shows the presence of chalk powder or
washing soda in the given sample of sugar.
 ∙ Some parts of sugar were insoluble in
water hence there are adulterants in
the taken sample of sugar.
∙ No effervescence was observed hence
there is a absence of chalk powder and
washing soda in sugar.

Observation
 Experiment 3

To detect the presence of adulterants in sample of chilli

powder and turmeric powder and pepper
Requirements:

Conc. HCl
Chilli Powder and
Dil. HNO3 Pepper is usually
contaminated with
KI solution Brick Powder and
Dried Papaya Seed.
Chilli Powder

Turmeric Powder

Pepper
 ∙ Common adulterants present in chilli powder and
turmeric and are red lead salts, yellow lead salts
and papaya seed. They are detected as follows:
∙ Adulteration of red lead salts in chilli powder. To
a sample of add HNO3. Filter the solution and add
2 drops of KI to the filtrate. Yellow ppt. indicates
the presence of lead salts in chilli powder.
∙ Adulteration of yellow lead salts to turmeric
Procedure powder. To a sample add conc HCl. Appearance
of magenta color shows the presence of yellow
oxides of lead in turmeric powder.
∙ Adulteration of brick powder in red chilli powder. Add powder to
beaker containing water. Brick powder settles at the bottom while the
chilli powder floats on water.
∙ Adulterationof dried papaya seed in pepper. Add small amount
sample of pepper to beaker containing water and stir with a glass rod.
Dried Papaya seed float on water while pepper settles at the bottom.
Observations
∙ Yellow ppt. was observed indicating the presence of lead salts in chilli
powder.
∙ Appearance Of magenta colour was observed hence showing the
presence of yellow oxides of lead in turmeric powder.
∙ Brick powder settled at the bottom chilli powder was adulterated.
∙ Dried Papaya seeds floated over water hence the pepper was
adulterated.
 ∙ Selection of wholesome and non adulterate food is
essential life to make sure that such food do not cause
any health hazard. It is not possible to ensure
wholesome food only on visual examinations when the
toxic contaminants are present in ppm level. However
visual examination of food before purchase makes
sure to ensure absence of insects, visual fungus,
foreign matters eye. Therefore, due care must be taken
by the consumer at the time of purchase.
CONCLUSION ∙ Secondly, label declaration on packed food is very
important for knowing the ingredients and nutritional
value. It also helps in check in the freshness of the
food and the period of best before use. The consumer
should avoid taking food from unhygienic place and
food that is prepared in 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 products from reputed shop.
 RESULT
∙ Oilwas adulterated with argemone Oil but
hydrocarbons and dye were absent in the
sample.
∙ Some parts of sugar were insoluble in water
hence there are adulterants present in samples
of sugar.
∙ Dried Papaya seeds floated over and hence
the pepper was adulterated.
∙ Brick powder settled at the bottom and chilli
powder was also adulterated with lead salts.
∙ Turmeric powder was adulterated with lead
oxides.
∙ Chilli powder was adulterated with lead salts.
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BY:
Loyal Joshua P
2022-2023 Thank you
Sishya School