DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL

ROORKEE

SESSION 2023-24
A PROJECT REPORT ON
“STUDY OF COMMON FOOD ADULTERANTS IN FATS, OIL, BUTTER, GHEE, TURMERIC POWDER,
CHILLI POWDER AND PEPPER.”

Chemistry Project
Submitted By: Pranav Anil UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF
Class- XII – B (Science)
Roll No.- PGT(CHEMISTRY)
 Certificate
This is to certify that the project “STUDY OF COMMON FOOD
ADULTERANTS IN FATS, OIL, BUTTER, GHEE, TURMERIC POWDER,
CHILLI POWDER AND PEPPER.” prepared by Pranav Anil, studying in
CLASS 12B of DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, ROORKEE is in the partial
fulfillment of the requirement for the chemistry practical examination of SSCE
2024.
This is also certified that the project report submitted by Pranav Anil is an
authentic record of the experimental work completed successfully in the
laboratory, under my supervision.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mr. Ankit Garg, our
esteemed subject teacher, for his invaluable guidance and unwavering
support throughout the completion of this project. His expertise,
encouragement, and constructive feedback have played a pivotal role in
shaping the content and quality of our work.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Priya Kaushik, our respected
Principal, for providing us with the conducive learning environment and
resources that enabled us to undertake and accomplish this project.
I am also thankful to my peers who collaborated on this project,
contributing their unique insights and efforts.
- PRANAV ANIL
XII-B
 Introduction
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
adulterants used by the shopkeepers are
cheap substitutes easily available. For
example, adulterants in fats, oils and butter
are paraffin wax, castor oil and
hydrocarbons. Red chilli powder is mixed
with brick powder and pepper is mixed with
dried papaya seeds. These adulterants can
be easily identified by simple chemical tests.
 OBJECTIVE OF PROJECT
The aim of this project is to study
some of the common food
adulterants present in different
food- stuffs.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 02
STATEMENT OF IMPACT OF
OBJECTS AND ADULTERANTS
REASONS

03 04
EXPERIMENT-1 EXPERIMENT-2

05 06
EXPERIMENT-3 OBSERVATIONS
 01
STATEMENT
OF OBJECTS
AND REASONs:
 Laws existed in a number of States in India for the prevention of adulteration of
food- stuffs, but they lacked uniformity having been passed at different times
without mutual consultation between States. The need for Central legislation for
the whole country in this matter has been felt since 1937 when a committee
appointed by the Central Advisory Board of Health recommended this step.
‘Adulteration of food-stuffs and other goods’ is now included in the Concurrent List
(III) in the Constitution of India. It has, therefore, become possible for the Central
Government to enact all India legislation on this subject. The Bill replaces all local
food adulteration laws where they exist and also applies to those States where
there are no local laws on the subject. Among others, it provides for -

i. A Central Food Laboratory to which food

samples can be referred to for final opinion in
disputed cases (clause 4),
ii. A Central Committee for Food Standards
consisting of representatives of Central and
State Governments to advise on matters arising
from the administration of the Act (clause 3).
The vesting in the Central Government of the rule-
making power regarding standards of quality for
the articles of food and certain other matters
(clause 22).
 OTHER ACTS AND AMENDMENTS:
ACT 37 OF 1954: The Prevention of Food Adulteration Bill
was passed by both the house of Parliament and
received the assent of the President on 29th September,
1954. It came into force on 1st June, 1955 as THE
PREVENTION OF FOOD ADULTERATION ACT, 1954 (37 of
1954).

LIST OF ADAPTATION ORDER AND AMENDING ACTs:

1. The Adaptation of Laws (No.3) Order, 1956.
2. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act,
1964 (49 of 1964).
3. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act,
1971 (41 of 1971).
4. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act,
1976 (34 of 1976).
5. The Prevention of Food Adulteration (Amendment) Act,
1986 (70 of 1986).
 GOVERNMENT MEASURES:
To check the suppliers of food from doing so, the
government has passed a stringent act which is known
as preservation of food Adulteration Act. They have
been implemented with the objective of providing
safety to human beings in the supply of food. It covers
safety from risks involved due to contamination of
poisonous elements. The specification laid down of
various foods under the provisions of PFA Act covers
minimum basic characteristics Of the Products Below
which it is deemed to be adulterated and also covers
the maximum limit of contaminant not considered
being safe for human beings beyond a certain level.
 PRECAUTIONS
By taking a few precautions, we can escape from consuming
adulterated products.
1. Take only packed items of well-known companies.
2. Buy items from reliable retail shops and recognized outlets.
3. Check the ISI mark or Agmark.
4. Buy products of only air tight popular brands.
5. Avoid craze for artificially coloured sweets and buy only
from reputed shops.
6. Do not buy sweets or snacks kept in open.
7. Avoid buying things from street side vendors.
02
IMPACT OF
ADULTERANTS
Every day we hear and watch live on television sets how the food
items are being adulterated and this spurious, unhygienic and
harmful food is entering our houses. We have seen how milk and
milk products are being made from urea, soap and other harmful
chemicals. We all know that vegetables are being given injections
to make them grow faster and overnight. The other day we saw
how steroids were being injected to chickens to make them into a
hen in a very short span of time. We have also come across
evidence as to how the fruits are being ripened with the use of
harmful chemicals. Adulteration of food causes several health
problems in humans. Some of the health hazards include stomach
ache, body ache, anemia, paralysis, and increase in the incidence of
tumors, pathological lesions in vital organs, abnormalities of skin
and eyes. Hence food adulteration should be given great
importance due to its effect in the health significance of the public.
The people are suffering from heart disease, kidney failure, skin
diseases, asthma and other chronic diseases. The people are
hapless victims of this adulteration industry running in full swing
and unchecked.
IMPACTS ON HEALTH AND ORGANS OF
DIFFERENT ADULTERANTS
 04
Experiment - 1
(To detect the presence of adulterants
in fat, oil and butter.)
Experiment - 1
AIM: To detect the presence of
adulterants in fat, oil and butter.
REQUIREMENTS:
• Test-tube
• conc. HCI
• furfural
• acetic anhydride
• conc. H₂SO₄
• acetic acid
• conc. HNO3.
 Procedure:
Common adulterants present in ghee and oil are paraffin wax, hydrocarbons, dyes
and argemone il. These are detected as follows:
(i) Adulteration of vegetable ghee(vanaspati) in desi ghee [Baudouin test]
Take small amount of desi ghee in a test-tube and add to it 1 ml of HCl and 2-3
drops of 2% alcoholic solution of furfural. Shake the contents vigorously.
Appearance of red colour in the acid layer shows that vegetable ghee has been
mixed as an adulterant to desi ghee.
(ii) 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 indicates the presence of wax
or hydrocarbon.
(iii) Adulteration of dyes in fats
Heat 1 ml of fat with a mixture of 1 ml of conc. sulphuric acid and 4 ml of acetic
acid. Appearance of pink or red colour indicates presence of dye in fat.
(iv) Adulteration of argemone oil in edible oils
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.
 04
Experiment - 2
(To detect the presence of
adulterants in sugar.)
Experiment - 2
AIM: To detect the presence
of adulterants in sugar.

REQUIREMENTS:
• Test-tubes
• conc. H₂SO₄
• alcoholic solution of
a-naphthol
• dilute HCl.
 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 dil. HCl.
Brisk effervescence of CO2 shows the presence of chalk powder or
washing soda in the given sample of sugar.
 05
Experiment - 3
(To detect the presence of adulterants in
samples of chilli powder, turmeric powder
and pepper.)
Experiment - 3
AIM: To detect the presence
of adulterants in samples of
chilli powder, turmeric
powder and pepper.

REQUIREMENTS:
• Test-tubes
• conc. HCl
• dil. HNO3
• KI solution.
 Procedure:
Common adulterants present in chilli powder, turmeric powder and pepper
are red coloured lead salts, yellow lead salts and dried papaya seeds
respectively. They are detected as follows:

(i) Adulteration of red lead salts in chilli powder:

To a sample of chilli powder add dil. HNO3. Filter the 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
 06 OBERVATIONS
Experime Experiment Procedure Observation
nt No.
1. Baudouin test Mix desi ghee in a test-tube Appearance of red
and add 1 ml of HCl and 2-3 colour implying the
drops of 2% alcoholic solution adulteration of
of furfural.
vegetable ghee
2. Adulteration of Heat small amount of Appearance of oil
paraffin wax vegetable ghee with acetic floating on the
and hydrocarbo anhydride. Droplets of oil surface.
n in vegetable floating on the surface of
ghee unused acetic anhydride
indicate the presence of wax
or hydrocarbon.
3. Adulteration of Heat 1mL of fat with a Appearance of pink
dyes in fat mixture of 1mL of conc. colour.
H2SO4 and 4mL of acetic
acid.
4 Adulteration of To small amount of oil in a No red colour Observed.
argemone oil in test tube, add few drops of
edible oils conc. HNO3 & shake.

5 Adulteration of Take small amount of sugar Pure sugar dissolves

various insoluble in a test tube and shake it inwater butinsoluble
substances in sugar with little water. impurities do not
dissolve.
6 Adulteration of red To a sample of chilli powder, No yellow ppt.
lead salts in add dil. HNO3. Filter the
chilli powder solution and add 2 drops of
KI solution to the filtrate.

7 Adulteration of Add small amount of given Brick powder settles at

brick powder in red chilli powder in a beaker the bottom while pure
chilli powder containing water. chilli powder floats over
water.

8 Adulteration of Add small amount of sample Dried papaya seeds

dried papaya seeds of pepper to beaker being lighter float over
in Pepper containing water and stir water while pure pepper
with a glass rod. settles
Conclusions
"Ensuring the selection of safe and unadulterated food is crucial for
daily well-being, as it prevents potential health hazards. Visual
inspection alone may not guarantee the absence of toxic contaminants
at the parts per million level. However, a careful examination of food
before purchase, looking for signs of insects, visible fungus, foreign
matter, etc., is a prudent step.
Additionally, the information provided on the label of packaged food
is vital for understanding ingredients, nutritional value, freshness, and
the recommended period for consumption. Consumers are advised to
exercise caution and avoid purchasing food from unhygienic sources
or establishments with poor sanitation practices, as such food may
lead to various illnesses. It is advisable to steer clear of cut fruits
being sold under unhygienic conditions. Opting for certified food
from reputable shops is always a safer choice.
In conclusion, adopting these practices empowers consumers to make
informed choices, safeguarding their health and well-being in their
daily food consumption journey."
Bibliography
Help from Internet, following links have
been majorly used for the completion of this
project:

●https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADULTERANTS
●https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
●https://www.medindia.net
 Thank
You!
Chemistry Investigatory Project

By Pranav Anil | Class XII-B |

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