10 Easy Tests to Detect Adulteration in Everyday Foods at Home

Let’s be honest—when you buy food from your local market, you expect it to be safe, fresh, and nutritious. But here’s the bitter truth: food adulteration is more common than you think. From milk mixed with detergents to turmeric laced with lead, these hidden toxins could be slowly harming your health.

The good news? You don’t need fancy equipment or a science degree to protect your kitchen. With a few quick, home-based food adulteration tests, you can easily spot the difference between pure and adulterated food.

Here are 10 simple yet powerful ways to detect adulteration in your everyday food items.

1. Milk – Adulterated with Water or Detergents

Milk is a kitchen staple—but it’s also one of the most commonly adulterated food items. Sellers often mix water to increase volume or detergents to enhance the look of creaminess.

How to test for water adulteration: Drop a little milk on a smooth, polished surface like a steel plate. ->If the milk spreads immediately without leaving a mark, it contains water. ->Pure milk leaves a white trail or mark as it flows—this shows the presence of natural fat and proteins.

How to test for detergent: Pour some milk into a bottle and shake it well. ->If you notice excess foam or froth, there may be detergent in it. Foam in pure milk is minimal and settles quickly.

Pro Tip: Always boil milk before use—this can also help in reducing the effect of minor adulterants.

2. Rice – Adulterated with Plastic Pellets

It’s hard to imagine something as basic as rice being faked—but it happens. Some low-quality vendors mix plastic pellets that mimic the size and shape of rice grains.

How to test: Take a tablespoon of rice and add it to a glass of water. -> Plastic rice floats because it’s lighter and less dense than real rice. -> Genuine rice sinks to the bottom.

This quick check can protect you from digestive issues and long-term toxicity.

3. Lemon Juice – Mixed with Artificial Citric Acid Crystals

Fresh lemon juice is often substituted with synthetic citric acid or tampered with chemical flavoring in street foods and bottled versions.

How to test: Apply a few drops of lemon juice to a litmus paper or pH strip. ->If it turns deep red or purple, the acidity level is unnaturally high—indicating the presence of chemicals or artificial citric acid.

Natural lemon juice has a mild acidity and won’t react as aggressively.

4. Wheat Flour – Mixed with Chalk Powder

To increase weight and appearance, some vendors add chalk powder or other white substances to wheat flour.

How to test: Add a spoonful of wheat flour to a glass of water and stir. 

-> Chalk powder will settle at the bottom, leaving the water slightly white or milky. 

-> Pure wheat flour will mostly dissolve or leave a minimal residue.

Why this matters: Chalk contains calcium carbonate, which can cause indigestion, constipation, and even harm internal organs when consumed regularly.

 5. Tea Leaves – Mixed with Iron Fillings or Used Leaves

Tea leaves are often adulterated with:

• Iron fillings to increase weight

• Reused tea leaves that are dyed black to look fresh

Test for iron fillings: Spread tea leaves on a sheet of white paper and pass a magnet over them.

 -> If the magnet picks up small black or shiny particles, those are likely iron fillings.

Test for dyed tea leaves: Boil a tablespoon of tea leaves in water.

->If the water turns very dark quickly, it’s probably due to added color, not the tea itself.

This can lead to metal toxicity or stomach problems over time.

6. Chili Powder – Mixed with Brick Powder or Salt Powder

Chili powder may be bulked up with red brick powder or ground salt powder to increase weight and color artificially.

How to test: Add a spoonful of chili powder to a glass of water and observe. 

-> Brick powder will settle at the bottom, leaving a reddish residue.

-> Salt powder will dissolve, making the water cloudy.

This adulteration can cause stomach irritation, ulcers, or long-term liver damage.

 7. Turmeric Powder – Laced with Lead Chromate

Lead chromate is a highly toxic chemical used to intensify the yellow color of turmeric. It’s dangerous and can cause nerve damage, cancer, and developmental issues.

How to test:

Mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of warm water and let it sit for 20 minutes.

 ->If a bright yellow layer settles at the bottom, it may contain lead chromate.

 -> Pure turmeric will dissolve gradually without forming a bright layer.

 8. Salt – Contaminated with White Powder or Chalk

Salt is sometimes adulterated with chalk powder or white powdered substances that are not meant for consumption.

How to test: Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in a clear glass of water. 

-> If the water becomes cloudy or milky, chalk powder is present.

-> Pure salt will dissolve completely, leaving the water clear.

This can affect kidney health and electrolyte balance if consumed regularly.

9. Sugar – Mixed with Washing Soda

To make sugar look cleaner and brighter, washing soda is sometimes added—especially in low-grade, loose sugar.

How to test: Dissolve a teaspoon of sugar in water and add a few drops of hydrochloric acid (or lemon juice if HCl isn’t available). 

-> If it bubbles or fizzes, washing soda is present.

This chemical can cause gastric issues, nausea, and intestinal problems.

10. Green Vegetables – Coated with Malachite Green

Vendors sometimes use malachite green, a synthetic dye, to make vegetables look fresh and vibrant—especially leafy greens like spinach, methi, and coriander.

How to test: Rub a cotton ball soaked in alcohol or vinegar on the surface of the vegetable. 

-> If green color stains the cotton, the vegetable has been dyed artificially.

Malachite green is a known carcinogen—long-term consumption can lead to liver and kidney damage.

 Final Thoughts: Stay Informed, Eat Safe

Food adulteration is not just a quality issue—it’s a health hazard. But the power to protect your family is literally in your hands. These simple home tests take less than 5 minutes and can save you from years of health complications.

Remember: Always buy from trusted brands, read food labels carefully, and test high-risk items like milk, spices, and vegetables regularly.