India’s food safety regulator has ordered testing at all the companies making spices.
India’s food safety regulator on Thursday ordered testing and inspections at all the companies making spice mixes. This is after the global regulators suspected contamination in two popular Indian spice brands.
In addition, a random raid at a spice mill in Ghaziabad’s Modinagar found a disturbing practice of allegedly mixing industrial dyes with turmeric and chilli powder, as per TOI.
It must be noted that this industrial colour is used to dye clothes. Therefore, it was mixed with turmeric and chilli powder to make the spice powders appear brighter.
With concerns of contamination rising, here are a few ways in which you can check if spices in your kitchen are contaminated:
- Rub a pinch of chilli powder between your palms, mixing it with water. If the texture feels gritty, it suggests the chilli powder may be adulterated with brick dust.
- If mixing red chilli with a small amount of water results in a slightly soapy texture when rubbed, it likely contains soapstone.
- If the chilli powder appears brighter and darker than usual, it is likely to have a synthetic colour in it.
- Mix a spoonful of chilli powder and turmeric in a glass of water. If your chilli powder is unadulterated, it will sink to the bottom of the glass, while the contaminated spice powder will start floating. Similarly, if the turmeric is pure it will sink to the bottom, whereas adulterated turmeric will start floating, making the water yellow.
- To test salt for adulteration, simply mix it with water. It is safe to use if the salt doesn’t cloud the water or leave any sediment behind. If it does, it likely contains chalk.
- To check the quality of cumin seeds, take a handful and rub them. If they turn black, they are likely 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.
- In the water test, if asafoetida or hing settles at the bottom, it may contain soapstone and other adulterants.
