Food Adulteration in India: Definition, Types and Prevention

Learn about food adulteration, its common types, harmful effects on health, and the legal measures in place to ensure food safety and protect consumers in India.

Table of Contents

Context: The prevalence of adulterated food should set alarm bells ringing in a country

What is Meant by Food Adulteration?

Food adulteration refers to the intentional or unintentional contamination of food by adding, mixing, or substituting harmful or inferior substances called adulterants.

Status of Health Crisis in India (National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5, 2019-21)
Indicator	Data
Stunting in children under 5	35.5%
Wasting in children under 5	19.3%
Underweight prevalence	32.1%
India’s diabetic population	~77 million (adults over 18)

Types of Food Adulteration in India

Milk and Dairy Products

Common adulterants: Water, starch, detergent, synthetic milk, urea, caustic soda.
Fake paneer: Made using starch, synthetic milk, and non-edible acids.
Health risks: Gastrointestinal issues, kidney damage, metabolic disorders, and in extreme cases, cancer.

Edible Oils

Common adulterants: Argemone oil (toxic), castor oil, mineral oil, rice bran oil.
Health risks: Glaucoma, heart problems, dropsy (swelling due to fluid retention).

Spices and Condiments

Common adulterants: Artificial colours, lead chromate (in turmeric), Sudan dye (in chilli powder), brick dust.
Health risks: Liver damage, cancer (due to carcinogenic dyes), anaemia.

Vegetables and Fruits

Common adulterants: Malachite green (leafy veggies), wax coating (apples), calcium carbide (ripening), oxytocin (to enhance size).
Health risks: Hormonal imbalance, neurological disorders, and cancer.

Grains and Pulses

Common adulterants: Polishing with artificial colours, mixing of stones, and chalk powder.
Health risks: Digestive disorders, kidney issues.

Beverages and Packaged Foods

Common adulterants: Artificial sweeteners, colours, preservatives beyond limits.
Health risks: Obesity, diabetes, cancer, allergic reactions.

Recent Incidents of Food Adulteration in India

MDH and Everest Spices Banned (2024)
Fake Paneer in Delhi, Noida, Mumbai (2023–2024)
Adulterated Watermelons (2024)

Facts

Laws deal with food adulteration:
- Adulteration of food: Concurrent List.
- Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: imposes a penalty for the possession of adulterants.

Health Risks Associated with Food Adulteration

Adulterant	Health Risks
Detergents (in milk/paneer)	Gastrointestinal issues, diarrhoea, and toxicity
Synthetic milk	Liver and kidney damage
Argemone oil (in mustard oil)	Epidemic dropsy (swelling, glaucoma, even death)
Ethylene oxide (in spices)	Cancer (Group 1 carcinogen), reproductive issues
Artificial colorings	Hyperactivity in children, skin allergies, and cancer
Starch/glucose in milk/paneer	Increases sugar levels, harmful for diabetics
Acetic acid (in fake paneer)	Stomach ulcers, mucosal damage

What Needs to Be Done

Stricter FSSAI enforcement and surprise inspections.
Public awareness campaigns on food adulteration.
Food literacy initiatives teach people how to detect and avoid adulterated foods.
Improved supply chain monitoring—from farming to packaging.
Updated permissible limits for pesticides and contaminants in food.