Chemistry Investigatory Project

Topic: Adulteration of Food

Name:
Class: XII B
Roll No.:

ACKNOWLEDGEM
ENT
I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the teacher in
charge Mrs. Shweta Gupta and our honorable principal
Mrs. Manila Carvahlo for her guidance and constant
supervision as well as for providing necessary information
regarding the project, adulteration in foods, and also for
support in completing the project.
I would like to express my gratitude towards my parents
for their co-operation and encouragement which helped
me in the completion of this project.

INDEX
1)Introduction
2)Aim and Requirements
3)Procedure
4)Observations
5)Conclusion
6)Gallery
7)Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

Adulteration is the act of intentionally debasing the

quality of food offered for sale either by mixture or
substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of
some valuable ingredient.
In the past few decades adulteration of food has become
one of the most serious problems. This is done to
increase the quantity without improving the quality.
Consumption of adulterated food causes diseases like
cancer, asthma, ulcer, etc.
Majority of adulterants used by the shopkeepers are
cheap substitutes which are easily available. Majority of
fats, oils and butter are paraffin wax, castor oil and
hydrocarbons. Red chili powder is mixed with brick
powder and pepper is mixed with dried papaya seeds.
These adulterants can be easily identified by simple
chemical tests.
In order to prevent adulteration of food products by
dishonest traders, the government has issued The
Prevention of Food Adulteration Act. The Bureau of Indian
Standards is the agency in India that provides certificate
of reliability to food manufacturers in India. Several
agencies have been set up by the Government of India to
remove adulterants from food stuffs. AGMARK acronym
for Agricultural Marketing, is an organization that certifies
food products for their quality. Its objective is to promote
the Grading and Standardization of agricultural and allied
commodities.

Aim:

To detect the presence of adulterants in samples

of chili powder, turmeric powder, pepper, desi ghee,

Requirements:

Test tube, concentrated hydrochloric

acid, furfural, dilute nitric acid, potassium iodide solution

Procedure:
1. Adulteration of red lead salts in chili powder:
To a sample of chili powder add dilute nitric acid. Filter
the solution and add 2 drops of potassium iodide solution
to the filtrate.

2. Adulteration of yellow lead salts in turmeric

powder:
To a sample of turmeric powder add concentrated
hydrochloric acid.

3. Adulteration of brick powder in red chili

powder:
Add small amount of given red chili powder in beaker
containing water.

4. Adulteration of dried papaya seeds in pepper

Add a small amount of sample of pepper to a beaker

containing water and stir with a glass rod.

5. Adulteration of various insoluble substances in

sugar:
Take small amount of sugar in a test-tube and shake it
with little water.

6. Adulteration of chalk powder, washing soda in

sugar:
To small amount of sugar in a test-tube add few drops of
dilute hydrochloric acid.

Observations:
EXPERIMENT
1. Adulteration of red
lead salts in chili
powder:
To a sample of chili
powder add dilute
nitric acid. Filter the
solution and add 2
drops of potassium
iodide solution to the
filtrate.

OBVSERVATI
ON

INFERENCE

Yellow precipitate is
observed.

Presence of lead salts

in chili powder.

2. Adulteration of yellow
lead salts in turmeric A magenta color
powder:
appears.
To a sample of
turmeric powder add
concentrated
hydrochloric acid.

Presence of yellow
oxides of lead in
turmeric powder.

3. Adulteration of brick
powder in red chilli
powder:
Add small amount of
given red chilli
powder in beaker
containing water.

Brick powder settles

at the bottom while
pure chili powder
floats over water.

Presence of brick
powder in chili
powder.

4. Adulteration of dried
papaya seeds in
pepper:
Add a small amount
of sample of pepper
to a beaker
containing water and
stir with a glass rod.

Dried papaya seeds

float over water
while pure pepper
settles at the
bottom.

Presence of dried
papaya seeds in
pepper.

5. Adulteration of
various insoluble
substances in sugar:
Take small amount
of sugar in a testtube and shake it
with little water.

A clear solution is
obtained.

Absence of impurities
in sugar.

6. Adulteration of chalk
powder, washing
soda in sugar:
To small amount of
sugar in a test-tube
add few drops of dil.
HCl

No brisk
effervescence is
seen

Absence of impurities
in sugar.

Conclusion:
The given spices contain the following
adulterants:
1.
Chilli Powder: Lead salts and brick
powder.
2.
Tumeric Powder: Yellow oxides of lead.
3.
Pepper: Dried papaya seeds.
Selection of wholesome and non-adulterated food is
essential for daily life to make sure that such foods do
not cause any health hazard. It is not possible to
ensure wholesome food only on visual examination

when the toxic contaminants are present in ppm

level. However, visual examination of the food before
purchase makes sure to ensure absence of insects,
visual fungus, foreign matters, etc. Therefore, due
care taken by the consumer at the time of purchase
of food after thoroughly examining can be of great
help.
Secondly, label declaration on packed food is very
important for knowing the ingredients and nutritional
value. It also helps in checking the freshness of the
food and the period of best before use. The consumer
should avoid taking food from an unhygienic place
and food being prepared under unhygienic conditions.
Such types of food may cause various diseases.
Consumption of cut fruits being sold in unhygienic
conditions should be avoided. It is always better to
buy certified food from reputed shop

GALLERY

BILIOGRAPHY
Practical Chemistry
www.wikipedia.com