Adulteration of everyday food items like milk, ghee, and spices poses significant health risks and undermines consumer trust. To safeguard public health, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has laid down practical guidelines and simple tests to detect common adulterants in these essential products. From identifying diluted milk and vegetable oil in ghee to spotting harmful fillers in spices, these methods empower consumers and vendors alike to ensure food purity. Understanding and applying these detection techniques can help prevent consumption of contaminated food, promote safety, and support the integrity of the food supply chain across India.

Here are the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recommended tips to detect adulteration in milk, ghee, and spices at home or in labs:

DETECTING ADULTERATION IN MILK

FSSAI suggests several simple tests to check milk purity:

Water adulteration test: Put a drop of milk on a polished slanting surface. Pure milk either stays in place or flows slowly leaving a white trail. Milk adulterated with water flows quickly without a trail due to lower viscosity and surface tension.

Starch test: Boil 2-3 ml of milk, cool it, add 2-3 drops of iodine solution. Pure milk shows no color change or slight yellow; starch adulterated milk turns blue as iodine reacts with starch.

Detergent test: Mix equal amounts of milk and water, shake vigorously. Pure milk forms minimal or no lather; detergent adulterated milk forms persistent froth due to lowered surface tension.

Urea test: Mix 5 ml milk with equal soybean/arhar powder, let sit 5 minutes, dip red litmus paper. Pure milk keeps paper red; urea adulterated milk turns paper blue due to raised pH.

Formalin test: Add 2-3 drops concentrated sulphuric acid to 10 ml milk in test tube without shaking. Pure milk shows no color change; formalin adulteration shows violet or blue ring at interface.

Maltodextrin test: Add 2 ml iodine reagent to 5 ml milk, mix. Pure milk stays slightly yellowish brown; maltodextrin adulterated milk turns chocolate red-brown due to reaction with iodine.

DETECTING ADULTERATION IN GHEE

FSSAI has introduced new methods to detect vegetable oil adulteration in ghee:

The new method detects cholesterol and -sitosterol markers in the unsaponifiable matter (USM) of ghee. Presence of -sitosterol indicates adulteration with vegetable oils like soybean, groundnut, coconut, and sunflower oil.

Traditional tests include:
Furfural test: Detects adulteration with sesame oil.
Baudouin test: Detects vanaspati (hydrogenated fat), refined vegetable oil, and animal fat adulteration.

The new method is more sensitive and can detect even minute quantities of vegetable oils, improving consumer safety and trust.

DETECTING ADULTERATION IN SPICE

FSSAI recommends simple home tests for common spices:

Saffron: Adulterated with dried maize cob tendrils which can cause digestive issues. Visual inspection and texture can help detect adulteration.

Black pepper: Press berries with finger; pure berries do not break easily, adulterated ones break easily indicating presence of light blackberries or other fillers.

Chilli powder: Mix a teaspoon in water, examine residue. Grittiness indicates brick powder or sand adulteration; soapy smooth residue indicates soapstone adulteration.

Table salt: Apply salt on cut potato, add lemon juice after a minute. Pure double-fortified salt does not change potato color; adulterated iodized salt turns potato blue.

Turmeric powder: Add turmeric powder to water. Pure turmeric leaves light yellow color; adulterated turmeric with artificial color leaves strong yellow color.