NORTH POINT SR.

SECONDARY BOARDING

SCHOOL

CHEMISTRY PROJECT WORK

INVESTROGATORY PROJECT

STUDY OF ADULTERANTS IN FOOD-

STUFFS
Name: Piyush Gupta
Class: XII- Science
Roll no:
Year: 2024-25
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Piyush Gupta of class XII (Science), has

completed the Investigatory Project of Chemistry titled: "Study of
Adulterants in Food Stuffs" under the supervision and guidance of
Chemistry teacher. He has taken proper care and shown utmost
sincerity in the completion of the project.

I certify that this project is up to my expectations and as per

guidelines issues by CBSE.

Signature of Signature of
Internal Examiner External Examiner
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I hereby express my gratitude to our Chemistry teacher Mrs.

Sharmishtha Sen for her guidance and advice for the successful
completion of this project and our Principal Mrs. Mahua Saha for her
encouragement and for all the facilities that she provided for this
project work. I sincerely appreciate this magnanimity by taking me
into her fold for which I shall remain indebted to her guidance
throughout my studies. I also thank my parents who supported me in
all my endeavors. I also thank my classmates who have equally
worked hard to make my project a success. And last but not least I
thank the almighty for whatever I have achieved till now.
 INDEX

SI.NO. Contents Page No.

I. Objective 5

II. Introduction 6

III. Theory 7

IV. Experiment 1 8

V. Experiment 2 9

VI. Experiment 3 10

VII. Result 11

VIII. Conclusion 12

ix. Bibliography 13
 OBJECTIVE
The objective of this project is to study some of the common
food adulterants present in different food stuffs.
 INTRODUCTION
Adulteration in food is normally present in its most crude form;
prohibited substances are either added or partly or wholly
substituted.

Normally the contamination/adulteration of food is done either for

financial gain or due to carelessness and lack of proper hygienic
conditions for processing, storing, transportation, and marketing.
This ultimately results in the consumer being either cheated or often
becoming victim of diseases. Such types of adulteration are quite
common in developing countries or backward countries.
 THEORY
The increasing number of food producers and the outstanding amount of
import foodstuffs enables the producers to mislead and cheat consumers. To
differentiate those who take advantage of legal rules from the ones who
commit food adulteration is very difficult. The consciousness of consumers
would be crucial. Ignorance and unfair market behavior may endanger
consumer health and misleading can lead to poisoning. 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 - acronym for agricultural marketing... this organization

certifies food products for their quality. Its objective is to promote the Grading
and Standardization of agricultural and allied commodities
 EXPERIMENT 1

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

REQUIREMENTS

Test-tube, acetic anhydride, conc. H2SO4, acetic acid, cone. HNO2.

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 a

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 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.
 EXPERIMENT-2

To detect the presence of adulterants in sugar.

REQUIREMENTS

Test-tubes, dil. 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. HCI. Brisk effervescence of CO2
shows the presence of chalk powder or washing soda in the given sample of
sugar.
 EXPERIMENT-3

To detect the presence of adulterants in samples of chili powder, turmeric powder and
pepper.

REQUIREMENTS
Test-tubes, conc. HCI, dil. HNO3, Kl solution.

PROCEDURE
Common adulterants present in chili 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 chili powder: To a sample of chili 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 chili powder.

(ii) Adulteration of yellow lead salts to turmeric powder: To a sample of

turmeric powder add conc. HCI. Appearance of magenta colour shows the
presence of yellow oxides of lead in turmeric powder.

(iii) Adulteration of brick powder in red chili powder: Add small amount of
given red chili powder in beaker containing water. Brick powder settles at the
bottom while pure chili powder floats over water. (iv) Adulteration of dried
papaya seeds in pepper: Add small amount of sample of pepper to beaker
containing water and stir with a glass rod. Dried papaya seeds being lighter
float overwater while pure pepper settles at the bottom.
 RESULTS

EXPT.
EXPERIMENT PROCEDURE OBSERVATION
NO.

Adulteration of wax and Heat small amount of vegetable Appearance of oil

1. ghee with acetic anhydride.
hydrocarbon in vegetable Droplets of oil floating on the
floating on the
ghee. surface of the unused acetic surface.
anhydride indicate the
presence of wax or
hydrocarbon

2. Adulteration of dyes in fat. Heat 1ml of fat with a mixture Appearance of pink
of 1mk of conc. H2SO4 and 4ml
of acetic acid.
colour.

3. To small amount of in a test No read colour

Adulteration of argemone oil tube, add few drops of conc.
in edible oils. HNO3 & shake.
observed.

4. Take small amount of sugar in a Pure sugar dissolves in

Adulteration of various test tube and shake it with little water but insoluble
insoluble substances in sugar. water. impurities not observed.

5. Adulteration of yellow lead To sample of turmeric powder, Appearance of

salts to turmeric powder. add conc. HCl. magenta colour.

6. Adulteration of chalk To small amount of sugar in No brisk effervescence

powder, washing soda in a test tube, add a few drops observed.
sugar. of dil. HCl.

7. Adulteration of red lead salts To a sample pf chili powder,

in chili powder. add dil. HNO3. Filter the
No yellow ppt.
solution and add 2 drops of Kl
solution to the filtrate.

Adulteration of brick powder

8. Add small amount of given chili Brisk powder settles at
in chili powder. powder in a beaker containing the bottom while pure
water. chili powder floats over
water.

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

• Text Books of Chemistry by NCERT

• Comprehensive chemistry by Laxmi
Publication