Sri Chaitanya

Senior Secondary School

Perumbakkam, Chennai

CHEMISTRY
INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

STUDY OF COMMON FOOD ADULTERANTS IN

FATS, OILS, BUTTER, SUGAR, TURMERIC
POWDER, CHILLI POWDER AND PEPPER

NAME : NITHIN R

ROLL NO :

CLASS : XII

SUBJECT : CHEMISTRY

SUB. CODE : 043

 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that NITHIN R a
Student of class XII of SRI CHAITANYA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
has successfully completed the investigatory report on the
title Study of common food adulterants in fat, oil, butter, sugar, turmeric

powder, chilli powder and pepper during

the year of 2024-2025 in partial fulfilment of chemistry practical examination

conducted by CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (AISSCE)

PRACTICAL EXAMINATION, New Delhi.

Date: Internal examiner Signature

School seal: External Examiner Signature

 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to thank the principal and lecturers of the chemistry

Department of Sri Chaitanya Senior secondary school, Chennai for

their support and giving the opportunity to excel in the investigatory

report for the academic year 2024-2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

S.NO CONTENT Pg. No

1 AIM 1

2 INTRODUCTION 1

3 THEORY 2

4 EXPERIMENT-1 3-4

5 EXPERIMENT-2 5

6 EXPERIMENT-3 6-7

7 OBSERVATION 8-9

8 PRECAUTIONS 9

9 CONCLUSION 10

10 BIBLIOGRAPHY 10
AIM:
Study of common food adulterants in fat, oil, butter, sugar turmeric powder, chilli
powder and pepper.

INTRODUCTION:
Food is one of the basic necessities for sustenance of life. Pure, fresh and healthy
diet is most essential for the health of the people. It is no wonder to say that
community health is national wealth. Adulteration of food stuffs was so rampant,
widespread and persistent that nothing short of a somewhat drastic remedy in the
form of a comprehensive legislation became the need of the hour. To check this
kind of anti-social evil a concerted and determined onslaught was launched by the
government by the 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. ‘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 :
• A central food laboratory to which food samples can be referred to for final
opinion in disputed cases (clause 4)
• 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)

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THEORY:
The increasing number of food producers and the outstanding amount of import
foodstuffs enables the producers to mislead and cheat the 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
most serious problems. Consumption of adulterated foods causes serious diseases
like cancer, diarrhea, ulcers, etc. Majority of 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. Several agencies have been set up by the
government of India to remove adulterants from food stuffs. AGMARK: acronym
for agricultural marketing, this food organization certifies food products for their
quality. Its objective is to promote the grading and standardization of agricultural
and allied commode.

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 EXPERIMENT-1
AIM:
Detect the presence of adulterants in fat, oil and butter.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
Test tube, acetic anhydride, concentrated H2SO4, acetic acid and concentrated
HNO3.

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 amounts 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 1 ml of fat with a mixture of 1 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid and 4 ml of
Acetic Acid. the appearance of pink or red colour indicates the presence of dye in
fat.

(iii): ADULTERATION OF ARGEMONE OIL IN EDIBLE OILS:

At small amounts of oil in a test tube at few drops of concentrated HN03 and
shake. Appearance of red colour in the acid layer indicates presence of argemone
oil.

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4
 EXPERIMENT-2
AIM:
To detect the presence of adulterants in sugar.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
Test-tubes, dil.HCl

PROCEDURE:
Sugar is usually contaminated with washing soda and other insoluble substabces
which are detected as follows:
(i): ADULTERATION OF CHALK POWDER, WASHING SODA IN SUGAR:
Take a small amount of sugar in a test-tube, addd a few drops of dil.HCl. Brisk
effervescence of CO2 shows the presence of chalk powder or washing soda in the
given sample of sugar.
(ii): 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.

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 EXPERIMENT-3

AIM:
To detect the presence of adulterants in chilli powder, turmeric powder and
pepper.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:
Test-tubes, conc. HCl, dil. HNO3, KI solutions

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 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.

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(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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 OBSERVATION
EXPERIMENT PROCEDURE OBSERVATION
Adulteration of paraffin Heat small amout of Appearance of oil floating
wax and hydrocarbon in vegetable ghee with on the surface.
vegetable ghee. acetic anhydride. Droplets
of oil floating on the
surface of unused acetic
anhydride indicate the
presence of wax or
hydrocarbon.
Adulteration of dyes in fat. Heat 1mL of fat with a Appearance of pink
mixture of 1mL of conc colour.
H2SO4 and add 4mL of
acetic acid.
Adulteration of argemone To small amounts of oil in No red coloured
oil in edible oil. a test tube at few drops of observed.
concentrated HN03 and
shake.
Adulteration of various Take small amount of Pure sugar dissolves in
insoluble substances in sugar in a test tube and water but insoluble
sugar. shake it with little water impurities do not dissolve.

Adulteration of yellow To sample of turmeric Appearance of magenta

lead salts to turmeric powder, add conc. Hcl. colour.
powder

Adulteration of red lead To a sample of chilli No yellow ppt

salts in chilli powder powder, add dil. HNO3.
Filter the solution and add
2 drops of KO solution to
the filtrate

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Adulteration of brick Add small amount of Brick powder settles at
powder in chilli powder given red chilli powder in the bottom while pure
a beaker containing water chilli powder floats over
water.
Adulteration of dried Add small amount of Add small amount of
papaya seeds in pepper sample of pepper to sample of pepper to
beaker containijng water beaker containing water
and stir with a glass rod and stir with a glass rod.

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 craziness for artificially colored 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.

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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 right 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 condition. 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:
From the web:
• www.wikipedia.com
• www.scribd.com
• Fssai.gov.in
Books:
• Class 12 Chemistry NCERT- Part 1
• Class 12 chemistry NCERT- part 2
• Comprehensive practical chemistry class 12

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