Indicative household tests to detect adulteration

in common food items

S. Food Adulterant Method of Determinant /

No. Articles Detection Remarks
1. Milk Synthetic a) Take few drops a) It gives a soapy
Milk between fingers feeling.
and rub it.
b) Effect of b) It turn yellow on
boiling. boiling.
c) Effect of c) It turn yellow
storage. after some time
2. Sugar Chalk Dissolve in glass Chalk will settle
powder of water down at the bottom
3. Honey Sugar / water Put it on a small If adulterated,
piece of paper / sample will make
cotton cloth and chirping sound
burn it
4. Tea leaves Colour Spray on wet Coloured tea leaves
blotting paper colour on wet paper
5. Coffee Chicory Gently sprinkle The coffee floats
coffee powder on over water but
the surface of chicory begins to
water. settle down
6. Common White Stir a spoonful of The presence of
Salt powdered sample of salt in a chalk will make
stone, chalk glass. solution white and
other insoluble
impurities will settle
down.
7. Chilli Sawdust and Sprinkle chilli Sawdust will float
Powder colour powder on the on water and added
 surface of water colour will make
water coloured.
8. Coriander Horse dung Soak coriander Horse dung will
Powder powdered powder in water float on water.
9. Mustard Argemone Mustard seeds Mustard seeds
Seed Seed have a smooth inside it is yellow
surface. The while for argemone
argemone seeds seed it is white.
have rough Magnifying glass
surface and are may be used for
black. Press identification.
seeds between Argemone is very
fingers. harmful.
10. Sella Rice Metanil Rub a few grains Yellow colour would
(Parboiled yellow in the palms of get reduced or
Rice) (A non- hands. disappear.
permitted
colour)
11. Split Dal Khesari Dal Khesari dal has Polishing of
(Arhar) edged type Khesari dal cane
appearance make it look like
showing a slant Arhar dal so avoid
on one side and polished Arhar dal.
square in Khesari dal is very
appearance. harmful.
12. Silver Aluminium Ignite few leaves. On ignition, genuine
Leaves Leaves silver leaves burn
away completely,
leaving glistering
white spherical ball
of the same mass
whereas aluminium
leaves are reduced
to ashes of dark
grey blackish
colour.
13. Coconut Any other oil Place a small Coconut oil
Oil bottle of oil in solidifies leaving the
refrigerator. adulterant as a
separate layer.
14. Saffron Dried tendrils a)Break the a) Genuine saffron
of maize cob saffron. is tough, whereas
coloured and spurious saffron is
scented brittle and breaks
easily.
b) Dissolve b) Artificially
saffron in water. coloured spurious
saffron will dissolve
quickly in water
whereas a bit of
pure safforon when
allowed to dissolved
in water will
continue to give its
saffron colour so
long as it lasts.

Note:- The above tests are only of indicative / preliminary and

may be used as consumer alertness. In case of suspicion about
adulteration, the same needs to be got analyzed by standard
food testing laboratories.

Details of Standard Test Laboratories could be obtained from

National Toll Free Number 1800 -11 – 4000 (BSNL / MTNL)

(All Working days - Mon-Sat, 09.30 AM to 05.30 PM )

Other Users Dial - 011-27662955-58

(normal call charges applicable)