UNIT 9 FOOD ADULTERATION AND
PRECAUTIONS
In this Unit you will study about the adulteration of food done by the sellers to
increase the weight and as a result make profit. Precautions against buying the
adulterated food are also given.
Structure
9.0 Objectives
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Food Adulteration and its Dangers
9.2.1 Adulteration
9.2.2 Methods of Adulteration and its Dangers
9.2.3 Adulteration in Foodgrains
9.2.4 Adulteration in other Commodities
9.3 Precautions Against Adulteration
9.3.1 Packed Foods
9.3.2 Buying from Co-operatives
9.3.3 Other Types of Purchases
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9.3.4 Familiar Shops
9.4 Let Us Sum Up
9.5 Glossary
9.6 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises
9.0 OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• explain adulteration in foods and its dangers;
• recognise the methods followed in adulterating different food items; and
• advise the consumers on the precautions to be taken in avoiding the purchase
of adulterated foods.
9.1 INTRODUCTION
In the present days of uncertainties, ensuring the safety of food is of utmost
importance. The dangers of consuming food which is mixed with material which is
not edible, are very great and may lead to different types of stomach disorders,
diseases etc., which may take a very serious turn. Hence, it is very important that
you should safeguard yourself from these dangers. Unscrupulous merchants
(shopkeepers) mix up your food items with many unpalatable materials. They do
so with the intention of either increasing the weight of the commodities sold or
simply to earn more money from the commodities they sell. When you buy such
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commodities at prices as quoted by the sellers, you not only buy poor quality
commodities but also spend more money per unit of the actual commodity bought.
The following illustration clarifies the point. Suppose you buy one kg of rice at Rs.
28/kg. Let us assume that this rice is mixed with some foreign matter which is not
consumable and the extent of this mix in the rice you buy is 10 per cent (i.e. 100
gm in a kg of rice). You will necessarily clean this rice before cooking and remove
this 100 gm of foreign matter. Thus, you have paid Rs.28/- only for 900 gm of rice.
Hence, the actual price paid by you for a kg of rice is 28/900 x 1000 Rs. 31 per kg
(1 kg = 1000 gm).
So, when you buy the food which is not to the expected cleanliness or quality, you
are exposing yourself to health hazards as well as loss of hard earned money.
Now we shall try to understand how adulteration is practised and how to avoid
adulterated food.
9.2 FOOD ADULTERATION AND ITS DANGERS
9.2.1 Adulteration
Adulteration is the process or act of mixing (into the main commodity) some other
commodities which are not fit for consumption or which are of poor quality.
Adulteration also includes mixing of one quality of the commodity with a lower
quality of the same commodity. For example, groundnut oil, in the present day, is
selling at about Rs.78 per kg. Another edible oil Palmolein is selling at about Rs.60
per kg. The shopkeeper now finds it profitable to mix some quantities of palmolein
with groundnut oil and sell the mixture as groundnut oil. It is difficult for you, as
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consumers, to differentiate between groundnut oil and palmolein oil just by sight.
Hence, the sellers can make huge profits by taking advantage of the consumer’s
ignorance.
It must be noted that the definition of food adulteration takes into account not only
the intentional addition or substitution or abstraction of substances which adversely
affect the nature, substance and quality of foods, but also their incidental
contamination during the period of growth, harvesting, storage, processing,
transportation and distribution.
9.2.2 Methods of Adulteration and its Dangers
Adulteration is very easily done when the same commodity is sold in different
grades. Adulteration of food items is done when some foreign matter which is very
small in size and similar to that of the food item itself in colour, shape, size is
available. Let us now understand how adulteration is done in different
commodities.
9.2.3 Adulteration in Foodgrains
Adulteration is done in different ways in the case of foodgrains. In the case of rice,
small gravel which are white or brownish in colour are mixed in small quantities
mainly with an intention of increasing its weight. These will be of such size and
colour that it is very difficult to separate them in spite of cleaning the rice. If such
substances are consumed along with rice, it may harm the digestive organs. Many
times you also observe that waste matter is mixed with foodgrains like rice, wheat,
jowar etc. These may be in the form of small pieces of straw, small mud clots,
seeds of unwanted plants etc. You can understand that in the process of cleaning
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you lose a lot in terms of the actual commodity. Thus, you will be paying more
money for less quantity of these commodities.
Such adulteration can be seen in almost all foodgrains including pulses (dhals). In
the case of pulses which are meant to be sold without husk, the husk is left back
deliberately to some extent so that the weight of the commodity is more. Another
example is Kesari dhal (a harmful dhal) which is mixed with other dhals like
channa, arhar, etc.
Check Your Progress Exercise 1
1) What do you understand by adulteration?
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2) “A consumer pays higher price than what is quoted by buying adulterated
food”. Explain with the help of an example.
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3) Why are foods adulterated by sellers?
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4) Give examples of two commodities in which adulteration cannot be detected.
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9.2.4 Adulteration in Other Commodities
You have already read the example of adulteration in the case of edible oil. Such
adulterated oils are sold in the market. Ghee is frequently adulterated. If the ghee
you buy in the market is mixed with some quantities of ‘dalda’, you will never be
able to differentiate a genuine product from an adulterated one. Similarly, in the
case of butter (which is selling at Rs. 180/- kg in major cities), the adulterants
(material used to adulterate) used could be bananas and maida. So when you buy a
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kilo of butter and try to process into ghee at home, you will be getting hardly 250-
300 gms of ghee and the price you have paid is Rs. 180/-. So you can imagine the
amount of money wasted. Similarly, the milk you buy can easily be adulterated
with water and you may not be aware of adulteration.
There are many ready-to-eat foods (like ketchup, jams, pickles etc.) which are sold
under different brand names in the market. Well-known brands of these products
are expensive and there is a tendency to sell other commodities under these well-
known brand names if possible. Otherwise, sellers of cheaper qualities of the
commodities imitate the name, shape, colour or size of the container of the
standard commodity, This is also one form of adulteration where the consumer
becomes the victim of exploitation by the sellers.
Tea can be adulterated with used tea and turmeric powder with metanil yellow,
which is a poisonous compound. Coffee powder can be adulterated with roasted
tamarind seed powder. As you have seen, adulteration may come in many forms.
The main aims of adulteration is making huge profits in a very short period of time
and with very little money investment. But you should remember that it is always
the consumer who stands to suffer in terms of health and money. Hence, you as a
consumer, must be cautious when you buy your food supplies from the market.
You may ask a simple question. Is the Government turning a blind eye to these
malpractices? No. Under the laws of the land, any form of adulteration is a crime
which is punishable. But you as consumers, must take the case to the
Governmental agencies/authorities in a proper manner and with sufficient
evidence. But most of the consumers do not like to get caught in these cases
because they think it is a waste of time and money and there is no use in putting in
all the effort needed. This is a wrong impression that most people have in their
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minds. Another thing is that the consumers always consider sellers as a well
organised group. This is also a wrong impression because nobody is above the law.
9.3 PRECAUTIONS AGAINSTADULTERATION
As you have learnt earlier, you will not even be in a position to recognise that the
food you are consuming is adulterated. So, it is very difficult even to take
precautions against adulteration and avoid it. However, you can overcome the
problem of adulteration by following certain procedures when you buy foods.
9.3.1 Packed Foods
As far as possible you can buy your food items in packed form. For example,
edible oils, ghee. dhals, etc., are all available in packages of different quantities.
You can choose the quantity you need. Even if the packet contains more than your
requirements. for immediate purposes, you can use them for longer periods like
1 ½ months or two months. By doing so, you will not only save on per unit cost of
the commodity, but also ensure that the commodity is not adulterated. You should
remember that when you buy the commodities in loose form, the chances of
adulteration are more.
9.3.2 Buying from Co-operatives
Co-operative consumers federations have developed very well in almost all the
states. The federations run a chain of retail stores. These are known by different
names like Janata Bazar, Super Bazar, Apna Bazar, etc. These consumer stores buy
the commodities in bulk from the wholesale markets, clean them, pack them and
sell them to the consumers through their retail outlets. Here, there is little scope for
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adulteration because there is no individual with a personal interest of profiteering.
Any benefit derived out of the transactions done will be passed on to the
consumers themselves. Such retail outlets can be seen in all the states and major
cities and towns.
Consumer co-operative societies are also working in different forms. Consumer
cooperative stores are established by many organisations like workers
organisations, or people of a particular locality. Here, the simple principle followed
is self - help through mutual help. The profits earned by the society are shared by
all the members. Thus, in these cases also, there is little scope for adulteration,
since personal interests are not involved.
9.3.3 Other Types of Purchases
Another important way of ensuring purchase of unadulterated food is to look for a
quality control mark in those cases where they are available. But here also you
have to make sure that you buy the commodities in packed form.
You should buy your supplies from established shops of your locality/town.
Merchants are very particular about their reputation with their customers. Hence,
they do not risk selling adulterated food items in their stores. If they lose their
reputation, they will face the risk of consumers not coming to their shops, thereby
their turnover and hence their profits will fall. So they will not risk such actions.
9.3.4 Familiar Shops
It is better to buy the commodities from the shops which you are familiar with and
the shopkeepers in whom you have confidence. Regular buying from the same
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shop introduces some sort of interpersonal and friendly rapport between the seller
and the buyer. This leads to the buyer earning the confidence and goodwill of the
seller. Hence, the seller does not want to deceive the buyer either in the form of
price or quality.
Though a number of measures have been suggested above, it is for the individual
consumer to decide the best course of action depending upon his resources and the
facilities available.
Check Your Progress Exercise 2
1) “Selling mixed grades of the same commodity is also adulteration” —
Discuss.
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2) List some important measures to be taken to avoid buying adulterated foods.
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3) What is a Janata Bazar? Why is there no adulteration in Janata Bazars?
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4) How does packed food help to avoid adulteration?
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Practical Activity 1
Visit a retail shop and list down any ten items of food available for purchase
both in the packed form and loose form, Record their prices per unit (per kilo
or 100 gm) and give your observations regarding the quality and price of the
commodities.
S.No. Food Items Price per unit Observations
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Practical Activity 2
Collect the data on prices of food items available from your nearest Janata
Bazar/consumer store and compare them with the prices of the same
commodities available in a private retail store.
(Note: Do not consider the fair price shops for this analysis).
Food Items Price at Consumer Store Price at Retail Store
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9.4 LET US SUM UP
Food adulteration is done by the sellers mainly to increase the weight of the
commodity and to make higher profits. The consumer will not be able to realise
that food is adulterated.
Adulteration is done either by mixing up different grades or adding foreign matter.
Precautions against adulteration include buying in packed form, buying from the
cooperative stores or familiar shops.
9.5 GLOSSARY
Adulteration : Making a commodity impure or inferior by adding
substance(s) which are either not fit for consumption or are
of poor quality.
Bulk Purchase : Purchasing large quantities of a commodity at one time.
Co-operative : Stores (shops) run by workers organisations, people of a
Stores particular locality etc., based on mutual cooperation.
Foreign Matter : Substance present in a commodity which is not the natural
substance.
Janata Bazar : Retail outlets run by co-operative consumer’s federations.
Packed Foods : Food items which come in sealed containers from the
producers
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Waste Matter : Unwanted substances (like straw, small mud clots, seeds of
unwanted plants etc.).
9.6 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
EXERCISES
Check Your Progress Exercise 1
1) Adulteration is the process or act of mixing in the main commodity, some
other commodities which are not fit for consumption or which are of poor
quality. Adulteration also includes mixing of one quality of the commodity
with an inferior quality of the same commodity. For instance, pure ghee is
adulterated with Dalda, groundnut oil with Palmolein, turmeric powder
(haldi) with Metanil yellow etc.
2) The consumer pays a higher price for a food when it is adulterated because
the food is mixed up with unwanted material which could be either waste
matter like straw, clots of mud, unwanted seeds, grains of inferior quality etc.
or with some foreign matter which looks very much like the original food in
colour, shape and size. The consumer is, therefore, buying the waste matter or
foreign matter alongwith his food by paying the rate of a particular food item.
To cite an example, take the case of rice which is mixed with some foreign
matter and waste matter to the extent of 10%. The consumer would pay say
Rs. 28 for one kg or rice whereas he would be getting only 900 gm of rice,
100 gm being the waste matter which in any case he has to pick and throw.
Hence the actual price he had paid for the rice is Rs. 31 per kg instead of Rs.
28 per kg.
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3) Food adulteration is done by the sellers mainly to increase the weight of the
commodity with a view to make higher profits. The adulteration is done in
such a way that it is difficult for the consumer to realise that the food is
adulterated and the sellers get the higher price for the adulterated food.
Adulteration may be in many forms, for instance, mixing water with milk,
inferior quality of grain, straw and unwanted seeds with the good quality
grains or similar looking materials, colouring matter with a view to give a
better colour, etc. In all such cases, the intention of the seller is to obtain
higher price by giving less commodity or selling an inferior product at a
higher cost.
4) The two commodities in which it is difficult to identify adulteration by just
looking at them are pure ghee and milk. Pure ghee is invariably mixed with
dalda while water is added into milk. However, there are certain laboratory
tests through which adulteration can be detected.
Check Your Progress Exercise 2
1) Selling mixed grades of a commodity is adulteration. The prices of different
grades of a commodity vary depending upon quality. The best quality
products would always be having a higher price than the inferior quality
products. Therefore, if the inferior quality product is mixed with a superior
grade product, it is adulteration because the seller is trying to cheat the
consumer by charging a higher price for his inferior product mixed with the
superior product.
2) One can avoid buying adulterated food by taking the following precautions:
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i) Packed foods - packed and sealed containers cannot be easily mishandled
by retailers and hence such foods are usually safe.
ii) Buying from co-operatives - Since co-operatives are run by societies and
the benefit derived is shared or passed on to the consumers, no single
person is interested in profiteering.
iii) Familiar shops - There is a rapport built up between the seller and the
buyer over a period of time. This prevents the seller from adulterating
the food with a view to protecting his goodwill.
3) Janata Bazar is a cooperative store run by the Co-operative Consumers
Federations of the States. Almost all the States have developed these
federations and run a chain of retail stores which are known by different
names such as Janata Bazar, Super Bazar and Apna Bazar, etc. The chances of
adulteration in Janata Bazar are not there since nobody’s personal interests are
involved and profits earned by the societies are shared by all members.
4) Packed foods help to avoid adulteration because it is very difficult for the
retailer to break open the seal of the packed food and mix up with the inferior
quality because it will be evident to the consumer. Various companies seal
their products and insist on the consumers to look for the seal when they buy
because they do not want bad quality products to be sold by the retailers under
their name. On the other hand, when the commodities are sold in loose form,
the chances of adulteration are very high.
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