Milk
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Detecting presence of water |
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- Put a drop of milk on polished slanting surface
- Pure milk either stays or flows slowly, leaving a white trail behind
- Milk adulterated with water will flow immediately without leaving a mark
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Detecting presence of detergent |
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- Take equal parts of milk and water. Shake thoroughly
- If adulterated, dense lather will form
- Pure milk will form a thin layer of foam
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Ghee/Butter/Oil
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Detecting mashed potato, sweet potato and other starches
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- Take half teaspoon of ghee/butter, add 2-3 drops of tincture of iodine
- Blue colour indicates starch adulteration
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Detecting other oils in coconut oil
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- Place oil in refrigerator (not freezer) for 30 minutes
- Coconut oil will solidify
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Vegetables
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Detecting malachite green in green vegetables
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- Rub the outer surface of a small part of the green vegetable with cotton soaked in water or oil
- If the cotton turns green, then it is adulterated
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Detecting green colour in green peas
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- Place a few green peas in a glass of water
- Let them stand for half an hour
- Clear separation of colour in water indicates adulteration
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Spices
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Detecting adulterants in chilli powder
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- Add a teaspoon of the powdered spice to a glass of water and examine the residue
- A gritty residue indicates presence of brick powder or sand
- If residue is smooth but soapy, soap stone is present
- If sawdust is present, it will float
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Detecting foreign resin in asafoetida (hing)
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- Burn a small quantity of asafoetida in a stainless steel spoon
- The pure spice will burn with a bright flame like camphor
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Papaya seeds in black pepper
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- Place a few corns of black pepper in water. Papaya seeds will float
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Tea/Coffee
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Detecting presence of used leaves in fresh tea leaves
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- Spread few tea leaves on a filter paper
- Sprinkle with water to wet the filter paper
- Wash the filter paper under tap water and observe the stains against light
- Pure tea leaves will not stain the filter paper
- If coal tar is present, it will immediately stain the filter paper
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Chicory in coffee
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- To a glass of water add a teaspoon of coffee powder
- Coffee powder will float while chicory will sink
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Wheat Flour
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Detecting adulteration
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- When dough is prepared from pure flour, less water is needed
- Chapatis will taste somewhat sweetish. Those prepared from adulterated flour are tasteless
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Salt
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Detecting presence of chalk
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- Stir a spoonful of salt in a glass of water
- If chalk is present, the water will turn white. Other insoluble impurities will settle down
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