31-08-2016, 03:46 PM
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Adulteration in food is normally present in its most crude form;
prohibited substances are either added or partly or wholly substituted.
Normally the contamination/adulteration in food is done either for financial
gain or due to carelessness and lack in proper hygienic condition of processing,
storing, transportation and marketing. This ultimately results that the
consumer is either cheated or often become victim of diseases. Such types of
adulteration are quite common in developing countries or backward countries.
It is equally important for the consumer to know the common adulterants and
their effect on health.
The increasing number of food producers and the outstanding amount
of import foodstuffs 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 behavior 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. Consumption of adulterated food causes serious diseases
like cancer, diarrhoea, asthma, ulcers, etc. Majority of fats, oils and butter are
paraffin wax, castor oil and hydrocarbons. Red chilli powder is mixed with brick
powder 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 commodities.