Sugar and Confectionery adulterant Test 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.

Test 1 : Detection of sugar solution in honey

Test Method 1

Take a transparent glass of water.
Add a drop of honey to the glass.
Pure honey will not disperse in water.
If the drop of honey disperses in water, it indicates the presence of added sugar

Test Method 2

• Take a cotton wick dipped in a pure honey and light with a match stick.
• Pure honey will burn.
• If adulterated, the presence of water will not allow the honey to burn if it does; it will produce a cracking sound.

Pure

Pure

Adulterated

Adulterated

Test 2 : Detection of chalk powder in sugar/pithi sugar/jaggery

Testing Method:

• Take a transparent glass of water.
• Dissolve 10g of sample in water.
• If sugar/pithi sugar/jaggery is mixed with chalk, the adulterant will settle down at the bottom.

Pure

Pure

Adulterated

Adulterated

Test 3 : Detection of aluminium leaves in silver leaves

Testing Method:

• Take some portion of the leaf and crush it between two fingers.
• Pure silver leaves will be easily crushed and crumble to the powder form while aluminium leaves will only break into smaller shreds.
• Further take the suspected silver leaves and make it in the form of a ball and burn it with the help of a flame.
• Pure silver leaves burn away completely leaving glistening balls while aluminium leaves are reduced to grey ash.

Silver leaves

Silver leaves

Aluminium leaves

Aluminium leaves