10 Easy Ways to Check for Food Adulteration at Home

When you shop for food, you expect it to be fresh, safe, and nutritious. But here’s the truth: food adulteration is more common than you might think. From milk diluted with water to turmeric laced with harmful chemicals, everyday items can carry hidden risks.

The good news? You don’t need lab equipment to detect these issues. With a few simple tests using things you already have at home, you can check the purity of what you’re eating.

Here are 10 easy methods to spot adulteration in your daily food items:

1. Milk – Water or Detergent Adulteration

Milk is a household staple, but it's often diluted with water or even mixed with detergents.

To test for water:

• Drop a small amount of milk on a smooth surface like a steel plate.

• If it flows quickly without leaving a mark, it likely contains water.

• Pure milk leaves a white trail as it moves.

To test for detergent:

• Shake a sample of milk in a bottle.

• Excess froth or foam suggests detergent may be present.

Tip: Boiling milk helps reduce the impact of minor adulterants.

2. Rice – Mixed with Plastic Grains

Some vendors mix pieces of plastic with rice to increase quantity.

How to test:

• Put a spoonful of rice in a glass of water.

• Real rice sinks; plastic grains float to the surface.

3. Lemon Juice – Substituted with Citric Acid Crystals

Bottled or street-sold lemon juice may contain synthetic citric acid or flavouring agents.

How to test:

• Place a few drops of lemon juice on litmus or pH paper.

• If it turns deep red or purple, the acidity is unnaturally high.

4. Wheat Flour – Mixed with Chalk Powder

To bulk up weight, chalk powder may be added to wheat flour.

How to test:

• Stir a spoonful of flour in a glass of water.

• Chalk settles at the bottom and makes the water cloudy.

• Pure flour will dissolve with minimal residue.

Note: Chalk (calcium carbonate) can cause digestive issues with long-term use.

5. Tea Leaves – Adulterated with Iron Filings or Dyed Leaves

Tea is sometimes adulterated with heavy particles or reused, dyed leaves.

To check for iron fillings:

• Spread tea on white paper and move a magnet over it.

• If particles stick, they may be iron fillings.

To check for dye:

• Boil a spoonful of tea in water.

If the water turns very dark quickly, it might contain added colour.

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

To increase weight or mimic a bright red colour, chili powder is sometimes mixed with brick dust or fine salt.

How to test:

• Add chili powder to a glass of water.

• Brick dust settles at the bottom with a red tinge.

• Salt powder dissolves and clouds the water.

7. Turmeric – Contaminated with Lead Chromate

Lead chromate enhances the yellow colour of turmeric, but it's highly toxic.

How to test:

• Mix a teaspoon of turmeric in warm water and let it settle.

• A bright yellow layer at the bottom suggests adulteration.

• Pure turmeric dissolves gradually without a bright deposit.

8. Salt – Mixed with Chalk Powder

Chalk is sometimes added to salt to make it look purer.

How to test:

• Dissolve a tablespoon of salt in a glass of water.

• If it turns cloudy, chalk or other powders may be present.

• Pure salt dissolves completely in clear water.

9. Sugar – Mixed with Washing Soda

Washing soda may be added to loose sugar to improve appearance.

How to test:

• Dissolve sugar in water and add a few drops of lemon juice (or hydrochloric acid if available).

• Fizzing or bubbling indicates washing soda.

10. Green Vegetables – Dyed with Malachite Green

Malachite green is a toxic dye used to make vegetables look fresher, especially spinach and coriander.

How to test:

• Rub a cotton ball soaked in vinegar or alcohol on the vegetable's surface.

• If the cotton turns green, dye has been used.

Food adulteration isn’t just about poor quality, it can seriously affect your health. Fortunately, these quick tests take just a few minutes and can help you avoid long-term harm.

Always buy from trusted sources, read labels, and test suspicious items, especially staples like milk, spices, and vegetables. Your kitchen can be a safer place with just a bit of awareness.