Food Products Sensory Evaluation Quick Tests at Home

Food is essential for sustenance of life. Adulteration of food deceive the consumer and can cause risk to their health. The purpose of this manual is to list out common methodologies available for food adulterants generally found in India.

The scope of this manual is meant for household, which can induce awareness among the consumer about food safety.

Food Sensory Evaluation Quick Tests at Home

Food product : Milk

Adulterant : Synthetic Milk

Methods:

• Synthetic milk gives bitter after taste.
• If adulterated, it gives a soapy feeling on rubbing between the fingers.

Food product : Black pepper/ Cloves

Adulterant : Coated with mineral oil

Methods:

Black pepper coated with mineral oil gives kerosene like smell.

Food product : Chilli powder

Adulterant : Brick powder, salt powder or talc. powder

Methods:

• Take teaspoon of chilli powder in a glass of water and examine the residue.
• When the residue is rubbed & if any grittiness is felt it indicates the presence of brick powder/sand.
• When the white residue is rubbed, soapy and smooth feel indicates the presence of soap stone.

Food product : Cloves

Adulterant : Volatile oil extracted cloves (exhausted cloves)

Methods:

• Exhausted cloves can be identified by its small size and shrunken appearance.
• The characteristic pungency of genuine cloves is less pronounced in exhausted cloves.

Food product : Sugar

Adulterant : Urea

Methods:

• Rub little sugar on palm and smell. If adulterated with urea, it will smell of ammonia.
• Dissolve a small amount of sugar in water.
• If adulterated, urea in sugar gives a smell of ammonia.

Food Products Sensory Evaluation Quick Tests at Home

Food product : Wheat, Rice, Maize, Jowar, Bajra, Channa, Barley etc

Adulterant : Kernel Bunt

Methods:

• Separate out the non-characteristic grains and examine.
• Kernel bunt has a dull appearance, blackish in colour and rotten fish smell.

Food product : Atta

Adulterant : Resultant atta/ Maida

Methods:

• When dough is prepared from resultant atta, less water is needed.
• The normal taste of chapati prepared out of atta is somewhat sweetish whereas those prepared out of adulterated will taste insipid (tasteless).

Food product : Sago

Adulterant : Sand or talcum

Methods:

• Put a little quantity of sago in mouth.
• If adulterated, it will have a gritty feel.

Food product : Powdered spices

Adulterant : Common salt

Methods:

• Taste for addition of common salt.
• If present, it will taste salty.

Food product : Sweet meats

Adulterant : Artificial Sweetener

Methods:

• Taste small quantity of sample.
• Artificial sweetener leaves a lingering sweetness on tongue for a considerable time and leaves a bitter after taste.

(Note: This method is applicable if artificial sweetener is used in addition to sugar).