Food Adulteration

Group 1:
Dr. G.S Tiwari (Mentor)
Vidhi Sharma (Group Leader)
Sanchit Gupta
Megha Jain
Shreya Bhogal
Introduction
- Food is a basic need with carbs, water, fats,
proteins.
- A healthy balanced diet is essential.
- Food safety a growing problem in India.
- Rampant adulteration and contamination.
- Can lead to disease or toxic poisoning.
- Consumer awareness vital to prevent adulteration.
Current Scenario
Nearly 28 percent of the food samples
tested for quality were found to be
adulterated, according to the 2018-19
annual report of the Food Safety and
Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
 Reasons of
Adulteration
1. High demand, low supply.
2. Compete by lowering costs.
3. Greed for higher profits.
Types Of
Adulteration
Intentional Adulteration:
- Purposeful food tampering for profit
- Nutrient deduction, adding foreign substances
IIncidental Adulteration:
- Unintentional due to poor hygiene
- Common adulterants: pesticides, D.D.T., residues
Alcohol Adulteration
• Adulterants in alcoholic beverages pose health risks, harm
industry reputation, cause losses.
• GC identifies and measures adulterants.
• Spectroscopy (IR, NMR) analyzes composition.
• IRMS detects added substances.
• Regulatory-industry collaboration crucial.
• Public awareness promotes reputable sources.
 Meat
Adulteration
Adulteration harms fair trade, causes economic losses for
consumers and producers.
Mislabeling raises ethical concerns over transparency and
consumer rights.
Strengthened monitoring of meat production, distribution,
and retail.
Advanced testing to detect meat adulteration.
Strict penalties for offenders to deter fraud.
 China Chocolate
scandal, 2008
• Adds cheaper or harmful ingredients like
vegetable oil.
• Melamine, a toxic substance, has been
added to whiten or increase weight.
• Melamine causes :- kidney failure.
• Infant deaths
Milk Adulteration
- FSSAI, Across the country, 68.4% of the samples
were found contaminated (Jan 2012
- FSSAI, out of 6,432 samples of milk taken, only
. 12 samples (0.19%) were found adulterated ( JAN
2023)
Fruit and Vegetable Adulteration
• Chemicals and colors deceive in fruits and vegetables.
• Calcium carbide artificially ripens mangoes and bananas.
• Copper sulfate speeds up fruit ripening.
• Oxytocin hormone accelerates growth in various produce
 Food Grains and
Spices (48%)
• Adulterants add weight and volume to grains.
• Plastic beads mimic cereal grains.
• Artificial dyes enhance red color.
• Beware of harmful substances.
Tea☕
Adulteration
• Caffeine added for potency.
• Artificial dyes for appearance.
• Adulterants increase bulk.
• Tea contamination risks.
CSE survey 2020
• 10 out of 13 honey brands had
failed the purely test.
• Sugar syrups from China for
adulteration.
• Saffola Honey, Markfed Sohna
and Nature's Necter passed the
test
Adulteration in
Restaurants and Hotels

• Adulteration rises due to demand and cost-cutting.

• Olive oil can be mixed with cheaper oils without
visual changes.
• Sourcing from multiple suppliers increases
adulteration risk.
• Strict quality control, regular testing, and reputable
suppliers combat adulteration.
 Street Food Adulteration
• Legitimate vendors face economic losses and
reputation damage.
• Regulations should prioritize quality control and
monitoring.
• Public awareness campaigns promote informed
choices.
• The 2019 Delhi scandal demands effective regulatory
responses and consumer trust restoration.
Rules and Regulations
• Food Safety and Standards,2006
• Consumer Protection Act, 2009
• Indian Penal Code,1860
• Meat and meat product order, 1973
• Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954
• Standard of weight and measure Rule,1977
 Enforcement
• Now, food quality can be tested in government-
designated laboratories free of cost.(Time of
India 2019)
• Public Awareness Programme.
• Recall and withdrawal of products.
• Legal Action and Penalties
Survey Analysis
- Survey on food adulteration with 394
responses.
- Insights on public awareness, experiences, and
concerns.
- Summary of survey findings and key trends.
- Observations on the topic from the analysis.
DEMOGRAPHI
C
 PREFERENCE
What type of food do you usually enjoy? Are you familiar with the term "food adulteration"?

What factors influence your trust in the food you purchase?

Do you think food adulteration is more prevalent in :
 Awareness
Which types of food items do you believe are more prone to adulteration? (Select all How concerned are you about consuming adulterated food?
that apply)

Have you ever encountered or suspected adulteration in the food you purchased?
How important is it for you to know the source of the ingredients used in the food products y
 Review
How often do you rely on online reviews and ratings when purchasing food Have you ever personally experienced any health issues due to consuming adulterated
products?

What do you think is the main reason behind food adulteration? (Select all that appl
How do you identify food adulteration?
 Actions Taken
Are you aware of where to complain regarding the adulteration of food? What actions do you take to ensure the quality and safety of the food you consum

What action you would take against shopkeeper for How confident are you in the effectiveness of food safety regulations in your country?
adulteration?
 Government Intervention
Do you think there should be more stringent punishment for individuals?
How do you think the government or food regulatory bodies should address the
issue of food adulteration?

If the government took care of adulteration, are you willing to pay a premium for food products that are guaranteed to be free from adulteration?
 Conclusion of the Survey

Survey with 394 responses on food adulteration:

- Majority aged 30-45 (64%), male respondents (65%).
- 93% aware of adulteration, 56% encountered it occasionally.
- Preferred food: fried (78%), home-cooked (15%).
- Perceived vulnerable products: milk/dairy (67%), spices (45%).
- 77% support stricter punishment for adulteration.
- 62% want more inspections to tackle adulteration.
- 46% willing to pay for adulteration-free products.
- Confidence in regulations: 6.3 out of 10.
 Suggestion to consumer
Look for FSSAI mark

Make well informed decision

Curb your demand during festive season

Wash fruits and vegetables to remove chemicals