Adulterated Spices Are Super Hazardous To Your Health; Know Ways To Check Contamination

adulterated spices are super hazardous to your health; know ways to check contamination

India has a special relationship with spices, as most of them – both whole and ground, are commonly and generously used in food. However, there has been a rising concern over spices and spice mixes, after global health regulators suspected contamination in two popular brands.

According to experts, most of these spices are riddled with carcinogenic compounds like ethylene oxide – long-term exposure of which is associated with cancers including lymphoma and leukemia. The European Food Safety Authority has banned the use of ETO and earlier flagged ETO contamination in Indian spices.

News reports also say that many times, an industrial colour that is used to dye clothes is mixed with turmeric and chili powder to make the spice powders appear brighter. Apart from those other pesticides, sawdust, and even charcoal powder are common adulterants used in spices like cinnamon and cumin.

• Rub a pinch of chili powder between your palms and then add it to a glass of water. If the texture feels gritty, your chili powder may be adulterated with brick dust.
• If you mix red chili powder with some water and it becomes soapy in texture when rubbed, it may be packed with soapstone.
• If the chili powder is too bright or darker than usual, it is likely to have a synthetic colour in it.
• Add a spoonful of chili powder and turmeric to a glass of water. If it sinks in the bottom of the glass, it is pure, and the contaminated one will start floating. Similarly, if the turmeric is pure it will sink to the bottom, whereas adulterated turmeric will float, turning water yellow in colour.
• Add a teaspoon of salt to the water, and if it doesn’t cloud the water or leave any sediment behind, it is pure, else the salt contains chalk.
• Take a handful of cumin seeds and rub them. If they turn black, they may be adulterated.
• For testing cumin powder, mix it with a glass of water. Adulterants will float on top, while pure powder will settle at the bottom.
• If you add asafetida or hing in water and it settles at the bottom, it may be packed with soapstone and other adulterants.
• To check the purity of whole peppers, crush a peppercorn, and if it breaks into big pieces with a small amount of oil, it is pure.
• Cinnamon has a strong flavour, however, the Chinese one has a very mild flavour and subtle aroma – different from real cinnamon. While real cinnamon has a thin texture, the fake one is thick and coarse, which usually curls up at one side and you add a drop of iodine to it.