What is Adulteration

Adulteration of food commonly defined as “the addition or subtraction of any substance to or from food, so that the natural composition and quality of food substance is affected". Adulteration is either intentional by either removing substances to food or altering the existing natural properties of food knowingly. Unintentional adulteration is usually attributed to ignorance’s, carelessness or lack of facilities for maintaining food quality. Incidental contamination during the period of growth, harvesting, storage, processing, transport and distribution of foods are also considered.

Adulterants are the substance or poor quality products added to food items for economic and technical benefits. Addition of these adulterants reduces the value of nutrients in food and also contaminates the food, which is not fit for consumption. These adulterants can be available in all food products which we consume daily, including dairy products, cereals, pulses, grains, meat, vegetables, fruits, oils, beverages, etc.

Method of Food Adulteration

Here is a list of most common adulterants which have been added
• Adding certain chemicals for faster ripening of fruits.
• Mixing of decomposed fruits and vegetables with the good ones.
• Adding certain natural and chemical dyes to attract consumers.
• Mixing of clay, pebbles, stones, sand, and marble chips, to the grains, pulses and other crops.
• Cheaper and inferior substances are added wholly or partially with the good ones to increase the weight or nature of the product.
Adulteration is an illegal practice of adding raw and other cheaper ingredients to excellent quality products to increase the quantity. Having this adulterated food is highly toxic and leads to several health issues, including certain nutrition deficiency diseases, kidney disorders, and failure of an individual’s organ systems, including heart, kidney and liver.

Below is a list of a few adulterants added to the food products along with their harmful effects.

Food Products	Adulterant	Harmful Effects
Milk and Curd	Water and starch powder.	Stomach disorders
Ghee, Cheese and Butter	Mashed potatoes, Vanaspati and starch powder.	Gastro-intestinal disturbances and other stomach disorders.
Coffee powder	Chicory, tamarind seeds powder.	Diarrhoea
Grains	Dust, Pebbles, Stones, Straw, weed seeds, damaged grain, etc.	Liver disorders, Toxicity in the body, etc.
Pulses	Dyes, chemical and Lead Chromate.	Stomach disorders.
Tea	Artificial colouring agents.	Liver disorders.
Pepper	Dried papaya seeds and blackberries.	Severe allergic reactions including stomach and skin irritations.
Mustard seeds	Argemone seeds	Abdominal contractions, sluggishness and increased excretion.
Edible Oils	Mineral oil, Karanja oil, castor oil and artificial colours.	Gallbladder cancer, allergies, paralysis, cardiac arrest, and increased LDL cholesterol.
Turmeric Powder	Pesticide residues, sawdust, chalk dust, industrial dyes, metanil yellow dye arsenic, lead metal etc.	Cancer and Stomach disorders.
Chilli and Coriander powder	Redbrick powder, Rhodamine B dye, Red lead, dung powder, soluble salts, water-soluble synthetic colours and other common salts.	Metal toxicity, Cancer, lead poisoning, tumour, variations in blood pressure and other stomach related disorders.
Cinnamon sticks	Cassia bark.	Liver Damage, Low Blood Sugar, Mouth Sores and increased risk of cancer.
Ice Cream	Pepper oil, ethyl acetate, butyraldehyde, nitrate, washing powder. The kind of gum is added which is prepared by boiling different animal parts including the tail, udder, nose, etc.	Dreadful diseases that affect organs including lungs, kidneys, and heart.
Tomato sauces	Pumpkin pulp, non-edible artificial colours and flavours.	Gastritis and inflammation of vital organs.
Fruits and Vegetables	Chemical dyes, Malachite green, calcium carbide, copper sulphate and oxytocin saccharin wax.	Stomach disorders, vomiting, and dyes used are highly carcinogenic.
Honey	Molasses, dextrose, sugar and corn syrups	Stomach disorders
Jaggery	Washing soda, chalk powder	Vomiting and other Stomach disorders
Jam, Juice and Candies	Non-permitted dyes including metanil yellow and other artificial food dyes.	These dyes are highly carcinogenic that have the potential to cause different types of cancer.