BHOPAL: As a part of its anti-adulteration drive in state capital the food and drugs administration (FDA) has released an advisory with tips and tricks to check adulteration in food items like milk, edible oil, suji, rava and tea among others.
FDA officer Dharmendra Lunia said, “We urge the people to play a proactive role in checking the adulteration. People can identify adulteration by using hydrochloride acid (salt acid), iodine and other common methods to check adulteration.”
As per the advisory if the colour of the milk turns blue if 5ml of iodine is added to to 10ml milk then it indicates that it has been adulterated with starch. If a sample of milk turns red litmus paper to blue then it indicates presence of baking soda in milk.
If ghee turns red or pink when left for 10 minutes after putting and stirring drops of hydrochloric acid in it, then it shows that the sample is adulterated.
Similarly, on adding hydrochloric acid and ferric chloride in edible oil, if precipitation turns red and brownish, it shows that it is adulteration of argemone oil, which is generally added to increase the quantity.
Adulteration of suji, rava and tea can be checked by rotating magnets over a sample, as it will attract iron filings- a common adulterant.
By shaking a mixture of powdered spices and water husk and other unwanted material will float on water. Similarly, on adding hydrochloric acid, if it turns colourless, it shows adulteration.
Adulteration tealeaves will turn a wet paper pink or reddish. IF sugar solution turns red litmus blue then it shows, there is adulteration in the sample.
Administration continued its anti-adulteration drive in state capital and collected samples of milk, paneer, sweets, spices, edible oil among other food items.
