Question

Obtain information on simple methods of spotting the adulteration in foodstuffs and try them out.

Answer 1

I collected information about some simple methods of detecting adulteration in foodstuffs and tried them at home. The observations are given below:

Foodstuff	Adulterant	Simple Method	Observation
Milk	Water	Put a drop of milk on a smooth, sloping surface.	Pure milk flows slowly, while diluted milk flows quickly.
Chilli powder	Brick powder	Add chilli powder to a glass of water.	Brick powder settles at the bottom.
Turmeric powder	Artificial colour	Mix turmeric powder with water and observe its colour.	An unusually bright colour may indicate added colouring.
Tea leaves	Artificial colour	Place tea leaves on a wet filter paper.	Artificial colour may leave coloured stains.
Black pepper	Papaya seeds	Observe the pepper seeds carefully.	Papaya seeds can be identified by their different shape and appearance.