INTRODUCTION

Food is one of the basic necessities for sustenance of life.

Pure, fresh and healthy diet is most essential for the health of the
people. It is no wonder to say that community health is national
wealth. Adulteration is the act of intentionally debasing the
quality of food offered for sale either by mixture or substitution
of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable
ingredient. In past few decades adulteration of food has become
one of the most serious problems.
Consumptions of adulterated food cause diseases like
cancer, asthma, ulcer, etc. Majority of adulterants used by the
shopkeepers are cheap substitutes which are easily available.
In order to prevent adulteration of food products by
dishonest traders, the government has issued ‘The Prevention of
Food Adulteration Act’ in the parliament to herald an era of
much needed hope and relief for the consumers at large.
‘Adulteration of food-stuffs and other goods’ is now
included in the Concurrent List (III) in the Constitution of India.
It has, therefore, become possible for the Central Government to
enact all India legislation on this subject.
ACT 37 OF 1954
The Prevention of Food Adulteration Bill was passed by both
the house of Parliament and received the assent of the President
on 29th September, 1954. It came into force on Ist June, 1955 as
THE PREVENTION OF FOOD ADULTERATION ACT, 1954
(37 of 1954).
LIST OF ADAPTATION ORDER AND AMENDING
ACTS:
1. The Adaptation of Laws (No.3) Order, 1956.
2. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act, 1964
(49 of 1964).
3. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act, 1971
(41 of 1971).
4. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act, 1976
(34 of 1976).
5. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act, 1986
(70 of 1986).
THEORY
We are very fortunate to be born in a country which is blessed
with rich soil, diversified climate, many rivers and the great
Himalayas where almost all varieties of fruits, vegetables and
cereals, etc. can be grown. In ancient times, the land was in
abundance, the supply of food was more than the demand and
people used fresh food materials in most natural form. The
population spurt in our country has given rise to unemployment
and poverty.
The demand for food has increased resulting in more food
producers in the industry. The increasing number of food
producers and the outstanding amount of import food-stuffs
enables the producers to mislead and cheat consumers. To
differentiate those who take advantage of legal rules from the
ones who commit food adulteration is very difficult. The
consciousness of consumers would be crucial. Ignorance and
unfair market behaviour may endanger consumer health and
misleading can lead to poisoning. So we need simple screening
tests for their detection. In the past few decades, adulteration of
food has become one of the serious problems. Majority of fats
oils and butter are paraffin wax castor oil and hydrocarbons. Red
chilli powder is mixed with brick power and pepper is mixed
with dried 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: Acronym for agricultural
marketing....this organization certifies food products for their
quality. Its objective is to promote the Grading and
Standardization of agricultural and allied commode. If the
consumer knows the ways and means to check the commodities
of daily use, they can save themselves and their families from
this mind-boggling problem.

SOME OF THE COMMON FOOD

ADULTERANTS IN FOOD ITEMS ARE:

FOOD ITEMS ADULTERANTS

Desi ghee & Butter Vanaspati ghee
Vegetable ghee Paraffin wax
Mustard oil Argemone oil
Sugar Chalk powder, washing
powder
Chilli Red lead, brick powder
Turmeric powder Yellow salts of lead, yellow
chalk powder
EXPERIMENT 1
AIM:
To detect the presence of adulterants in fat, butter & oils.
REQUIREMENTS:
Test-tubes, beakers, test-tube stand, filter paper, dropper, conc. HCl,
sugar, small amounts of vanaspati ghee or butter, conc. Acetic
anhydride, small amounts of vegetable ghee, conc. Nitric acid, small
amounts of edible oil.
PROCEDURE:
In case of ordinary test for fats, butter & oils, put a small amount of
these separately on a filter paper. Fold it and press, then unfold it. The
presence of translucent spot indicates the presence of oil or fat. Hold the
filter paper over flame, the spot grows larger.
Test for oils: Take 1ml of mustard oil in a test tube & add few drops of
conc. HCl solution to it. Shake the mixture well. Appearance of red
colour in the acid layer indicates the presence of argemone oil in
mustard oil.
OBSERVATIONS & RESULTS:
[Link]. TYPES OF FOOD OBSERVATION INFERENCE
1. Desi ghee & Butter Brownish pink Presence of
aqueous layer is vanaspati ghee
observed. is confirmed.
(i) Sample 1 Yes Yes
(ii) Sample 2 No No
2. Mustard oil Orange coloured Presence of
solution is Argemone oil is
observed. confirmed.
(i) Sample 1 Yes Yes
(ii) Sample 2 No No
EXPERIMENT 2
AIM:
To test the presence of adulterants in sugar, chilli powder,
turmeric powder, salt & pepper.
REQUIREMENTS:
Test-tubes, beakers, test-tube stand, dropper, glass rod, dil.
H2SO4, water, sample of sugar, dil. HNO3, KI solution, sample
of chilli powder, conc. HCl, sample of turmeric powder, sample
of pepper.
PROCEDURE:
1)Tests for sugar:
(a) Take a small amount of sugar in a beaker & add some
amount of water to it. Stir the solution with a glass rod. Pure
sugar dissolves in the water whereas the insoluble particles
(chilli powder, washing powder, etc.) floats on the surface
indicates the presence of adulterants.
(b) Take 1g of sugar in a test-tube & add few drops of dil. HCl to
it. A brisk effervescence due to the formation of CO2 indicates
chalk powder or washing soda in the given sample of sugar.
2)Tests for chilli powder:
(a) Take a small amount of chilli powder in a test-tube & add
few drops of dil. HNO3 to the test-tube. Shake the mixture well
& filter the solution. To the filterate, add 2-3 drops, of 10% KI
solution. The presence of yellow coloured precipitate indicates
the presence of lead salts in chilli powder.
(b) Take a small amount of given red chilli powder in a beaker &
add water to it. The pure chilli powder floats over the surface of
water whereas brick powder settles at the bottom.

3)Tests for Turmeric powder:

Take a small amount of turmeric powder in a test-tube & to this
add few drops of conc. HCl. The colour changes from yellow to
violet or magenta indicates the presence of lead salts in turmeric
powder.
4) Tests for pepper:
Take a small amount of pepper in a beaker & add water to it. Stir
the mixture with a glass rod. Dried papaya seeds float over water
& pepper settles at the bottom. Add a little salt to water. Chalk
powder will settle down.
5) Tests for salt:
Add a little salt to water. Chalk powder will settle down.
OBSERVATIONS & RESULTS:
[Link]. TYPES OF OBSERVATION INFERENCE
FOOD
1. Salt No settled chalk No chalk
powder. powder is
present.

(i) Sample 1 No No
(ii) Sample 2 No No
2 Red chilli settled red powder and Presence of
powder red colour is observed brick powder
in the solution. and colours is
observed.
(i) Sample 1 Yes Yes
(ii) Sample 2 No No
3. Pepper Filter paper remains No seeds
uncoloured. present.
(i) Sample 1 No No
(ii) Sample 2 No No
4. Turmeric Effervescence is Yellow chalk
powder observed. powder is
present.
(i) Sample 1 No No
(ii) Sample 2 Yes Yes
CONCLUSION:
The increasing number of food producers and the
outstanding amounts of imported food stuffs enables the
producers to mislead and cheat consumers. To differentiate
of those who take advantage of legal rules from the once
who commit food adulteration is very difficult. The
consciousness of consumers has become very crucial.
However, how can we expect consequent behaviour
from them regarding controversial issues emerging day by
day? In addition, ignorance and unfair market behaviours
is endangering consumer health. So we need sanctions and
judicial penalties with adequate restraining force to halt
this process.
We should take some precautions mentioned ahead.
PRECAUTIONS
By taking a few precautions, we can escape from consuming
adulterated products:
1. Take only packed items of well-known companies.
2. Buy items from reliable retail shops and recognized outlets.
3. Check the ISI mark.
4. Buy products of only air tight popular brands.
5. Avoid craziness for artificially coloured sweets and buy
only from reputed shops.
6. Do not buy food kept in open.
7. Avoid buying things from street side vendors.
 INDEX
 INTRODUCTION
 ACT 37 OF 1954
 THEORY
 COMMON ADULTERANTS
 EXPERIMENT 1
 EXPERIMENT 2
 CONCLUSION
 PRECAUTIONS
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
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