Kitchen tricks to expose food adulteration

In case the test asks for the presence of an acid, you could use common toilet-cleaning acid, or easily found citric acid or even lemon juice.

1 Turmeric, dals and pulses such as moong or channa

Adulterant: Metanil Yellow and Kesari Dal (Added to enhance the yellow colour of a food substance)
Test: Dissolve half a spoon full of besan or turmeric powder in 20 ml of lukewarm water. Add a few drops of hydrochloric acid or any commonly available acid at home. If the water turns pink, violet or purple, it shows the presence of Metanil yellow.

Harmful effects: It's highly carcinogenic and if consumed over a continuous period of time it can also cause stomach disorders.

2. Green chillies, green peas and other vegetables

Adulterant: Malachite Green (To accentuate the bright, glowing green colour of the vegetable)
Test: Take a small portion of the sample and place it over a moistened white blotting paper. Coloured impressions on the blotting paper indicate the presence of Malachite green.
Harmful effects: It's a coloured dye that has proven to be carcinogenic for humans if consumed over a long period of time.

3. Mustard seeds and mustard oil

Adulterant: Argemone seeds (used to add bulk and weight)

Test: When pressed or crushed, argemone seeds are white inside and have a rough outer surface whereas mustard seeds are smooth on the outside and are yellow on the inside.
Harmful effects: The consumption of these could cause epidemic dropsy and severe glaucoma. Young children and senior citizens with poor immunity are more susceptible this.

4. Paneer, khoya, condensed milk and milk

Adulterant: Starch (used to give it a thick, rich texture)

Test: Take a small sample of the product in a test tube, add 20 ml of water and bring to a boil. Cool to room temperature and add a drop or two of iodine solution. If the solution turns blue, it marks the presence of starch.
Harmful effects: Unhygienic, unprocessed water and starch can cause stomach disorders. Starch greatly reduces the nutritional value of the ingredient.

5. Ice cream

Adulterant:Washing powder (used to add a bright white sheen and lightness of flavour)
Test: Squeeze a few drops of lemon juice on the ice cream. If it starts to froth and bubble, it marks the presence of washing powder.

Harmful effects: It can cause severe stomach and liver disorders

6. Black pepper

Adulterant: Papaya seeds (used to add bulk)

Test: Float the sample in alcohol. Mature black pepper corns will sink where as papaya seeds will float to the surface.

Harmful effects: Papaya seeds can cause serious liver problems and stomach disorders.

7. Coffee powder

Adulterant: Tamarind seeds, chicory powder (used to add bulk and colour)
Test: Gently sprinkle coffee powder on the surface of water in a glass. The coffee will float whereas chicory will start to sink within a few seconds. Also, the falling chicory powder will leave a trail of colour behind due to the large amounts of caramel it contains.

Harmful effects: These can cause diarrhea, stomach disorders, giddiness and severe joint pains.

8. Adulterant: sugar water

Test:Dip a cotton wick into the honey and let any excess drip off. Light a match or candle and hold the soaked end of the wick in the flame. If the cotton wick burns, this is a sign that the honey is pure (cotton will turn black; adultered honey will cristalise). If it does not burn, this typically signifies that the honey contains water, which will prevent burning. If the honey contains just a small amount of water, it may still burn but you will hear a crackling sound. 

Harmful effects: diabeties