CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

Study of food adulterants in different food

products
 INDEX

SI.NO TOPIC PAGE NO

1. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 1

2. OBJECTIVE 2

3. INTRODUCTION 3
LIST OF FOOD
4. ADULTERANTS 4

5. THEORY 5

6. EXPERIMENT NO.1 6

7. EXPERIMENT NO.2 7

8. EXPERIMENT NO.3 8

9. OBSERVATION 9-10

10. CONCLUSION 11

11. BIBLIOGRAPHY 12
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I undertook this Project work, as part of my Chemistry class 12 subject. I have
tried to apply the best of knowledge and experience, gained during the study and
class work experience. Making a project requires a systematic study, insight vision
and professional approach during the design and development. Moreover, the
developer always feels the need, the help and good wishes of the people near
you, who have considerable experience and idea.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to my teacher _________,

I express my deep sense of gratitude to the luminary Principal ___________ and
Head of Section _________for their co-ordination in extending every possible
support.

I would like to take the opportunity to extend my sincere thank and gratitude to
my parents for being a source of inspiration and providing time and freedom to
develop this project.

Apart from the efforts of me, the success of any project depends largely on the
encouragement and guidelines of many others. I take this opportunity to express
my gratitude to the people who have been instrumental in the successful
completion of the project.

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 OBJECTIVE
Study about some of the common food adulterants found in various food
products.

2
 INTRODUCTION
Food is one of the basic requirements for sustaining life. Pure, fresh and healthy
foods are paramount to people's health. Food is one of the basic requirements for
sustaining life. Pure, fresh and healthy foods are paramount to people's health.

Adulteration of food-stuffs was so rampant, widespread and persistent that

nothing short of a comprehensive that nothing short of a somewhat drastic
remedy in the form of a comprehensive legislation became the need of hour.

To check this kind of anti-social evil a concerted and determined onslaught was
launched by the government by introduction of the Prevention of Food
Adulteration Bill in the Parliament to herald an era of much needed hope and
relief for the consumers at large. About the middle of the 19thcentury chemical
and microscopical knowledge had reached the stage that food substances could
be analyzed, and the subject of food adulteration began to be studied from the
standpoint of the rights and welfare of the consumer.

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 THEORY
The increasing number of food producers and the outstanding amount of import
food products enables the producer’s to mislead and cheat consumers. So we
need simple screening tests for their detection. In the past few decades,
adulteration of food has become one of the serious problems.

Consumption of adulterated food causes serious diseases like cancer, diarrhea,

asthma, ulcers, etc. 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.

Several agencies have been set up by the Government of India to remove

adulterants from food stuffs AGMARK (agricultural marketing).This organization
certifies food products for their quality. Its objective is to promote the grading
and standardization of agricultural and allied commode.

According to the National Health Service and Food Research Institute, several
food products have been adulterated to increase the quantity and make more
profit. This practice of adding adulterants to food products are quite common in
all in developing countries and other backward countries.

Every year, the 7th of April is celebrated as the World Health Day globally and as
per the reports, WHO aims to bring a general awareness about the adulterations
of food products, motivate and inspire everybody to have a healthy, balanced
diet.
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 EXPERIMENT NO.1
AIM:

To detect the presence of adulterants in the given samples of fat, oil and butter.

APPARATUS REQUIRED: Test-tube, Test tube holder, a pair of tongs, acetic

anhydride, concentrated sulphuric acid, acetic acid, concentrated HNO3, given
food samples.

PROCEDURE:

Common adulterants present in ghee and oil are paraffin wax, hydrocarbons, dyes
and argemone oil. These are detected as follows:

(i) Adulteration of paraffin wax and hydrocarbon in vegetable ghee:

Heat small amount of vegetable ghee with acetic anhydride. Droplets of oil
floating on the surface of unused acetic anhydride indicate the presence of wax or
hydrocarbons

(ii) Adulteration of dyes in fat

Heat 1mL of fat with a mixture of 1mL of conc. sulphuric acid and 4mL of acetic
acid. Appearance of pink or red colour indicates presence of dye in fat.

(iii) Adulteration of argemone oil

To small amount of oil in a test-tube, add few drops of conc. HNO3 and shake.
Appearance of red colour in the acid layer indicates presence of argemone oil

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 EXPERIMENT NO.2
AIM:

To detect the presence of adulterants in Sugar.

APPARATUS REQUIRED: Test-tubes, Dilute HCl, Sugar Sample.

PROCEDURE:

Sugar is usually contaminated with washing soda and other insoluble substances
which are detected as follows

(i) Adulteration of various insoluble substances in sugar.

Take small amount of sugar in a test-tube and shake it with little water. Pure
sugar dissolves in water but insoluble impurities do not dissolve.

(ii) Adulteration of chalk powder, washing soda in sugar.

To small amount of sugar in a test-tube, add few drops of HCl. Brisk effervescence
of CO2 shows the presence of chalk powder or washing soda in the given sample
of sugar.

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 EXPERIMENT NO.3
AIM:

To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of chilli powder, turmeric

powder and pepper

APPARATUS REQUIRED: Test-tubes, conc. HCl, dil. HNO3, KI Solution

PROCEDURE:

Common adulterants present in chili powder, turmeric powder and pepper are
red colored lead salts, yellow lead salts and dried papaya seeds respectively. They
are detected as follows

(i) Adulteration of red lead salts in chili powder.

To a sample of chilli powder, add dil. HNO3. Filter the dil. solution and add 2
drops of potassium iodide solution to the filtrate. Yellow ppt. indicates the
presence of lead salts in chilli powder.

(ii) Adulteration of yellow lead salts to turmeric powder.

To a sample of turmeric powder add conc. HCl. Appearance of magenta colour

shows the presence of yellow oxides of lead in turmeric powder.

(iii) 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 chilli powder floats over water

(iv) Adulteration of dried papaya seeds in pepper

Add small amount of sample of pepper to a beaker containing

water and stir with a glass rod. Dried papaya seeds being lighter

float over water while pure pepper settles at the bottom.

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EXPER EXPERIMENT NAME PROCEDURE OBSERVATION
IMENT
NO
1. Adulteration of Heat small amount of Droplets of oi l floating
paraffin wax and vegetable ghee with acetic on the surface of
hydrocarbon in anhydride. unused acetic
vegetable ghee. anhydride indicate the
presence of wax or
hydrocarbon.
Appearance of oil
floating on the surface.
2. Adulteration of dyes Heat 1ml of fat with a mixture Appearance of pink
in fat. of 1ml of conc.H2SO4 and 4ml colour.
of acetic acid.
3. Adulteration of To small amount of oil in a No red colour
argemone oil in edible test tube, add few drops of observed.
oils. conc.HNO3 & shake.
4. Adulteration of Take small amount of sugar in Pure sugar dissolves
various insoluble a test tube and shake it with water but insoluble
substances in sugar. little water impurities do not
dissolve.
5. Adulteration of chalk To small amount of sugar in a No brisk effervescence
powder, washing soda test tube, add a few drops of observed.
in sugar. dil. HCI.
6. Adulteration of yellow To a sample of turmeric Appearance of
lead salts to turmeric powder, add. Conc. HCl. magenta colour
powder.
7. Adulteration of red To a sample of chili powder, No yellow
lead salts in chili add dil. HNO3. Filter the Precipitate.
powder. solution and add 2 drops of
KI solution to the filtrate.
OBSERVATION

8. Adulteration of brick Add small amount of given Brick powder settles at

 powder in chilli red chilli powder in a beaker the bottom while pure
powder. containing water. chilli powder floats
over water.
9. Adulteration of dried Add small amount of Dried papaya seeds
papaya seeds in sample of pepper to beaker being lighter float over
pepper. containing water and stir Water while pure
with a glass rod. pepper settles at the
bottom.

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CONCLUSION
It is crucial to choose healthful, unadulterated foods for everyday use to ensure
that they pose no health risks. When harmful pollutants are present in ppm,
wholesome food cannot be guaranteed based solely on visual inspection.
However, visual inspection of the food prior to purchase ensures that there are
no insects, visible fungi, strange objects, etc. Due diligence on the part of the
consumer when purchasing food after carefully inspecting can therefore be of
great assistance.

Second, label disclosure on packaged foods is crucial for understanding the

nutritional content and contents. Additionally, it aids in determining the food's
freshness and its best before date.

The customer should refrain from consuming food that has been cooked in
unsanitary conditions or that was obtained from an unclean location. Such
foodstuffs may contribute to a number of ailments. Avoid eating sliced fruit that
has been sold in unsanitary conditions. It is always preferable to get certified
foods from reputable retailers.

HOW CAN ADULTERATION PREVENTED?

1. Avoid dark coloured, junk and other processed foods.

2. Make sure to clean and store all the grains, pulses and other food products.
3. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly in running water before they are
used.
4. Check if the seal is valid or not, before buying food products like milk, oil
and other products.
5. Always make sure to check and buy products having an FSSAI (Food Safety
and Standards Authority of India)-validated label, along with the license
number, list of ingredients, manufactured date, and its expiration .

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://www.icbse.com/

https://www.academia.edu/

https://dokumen.tips/

https://byjus.com/

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