By demonstrating the deviated components from its normal level.
1.12.3 Technique to Check Food Adulteration
Physical Method: In physical method, we can detect the adulteration by using microscopic and macroscopic visual methods [55–59]. Analysis of food adulteration by using physical methods includes bulk density, solubility, texture, and morphology. Microscopic examination is helpful to detect some powder species, namely, cloves, coriander, and cumin leads to easily detection of extraneous starch present in these powder species.
Chemical and Biochemical Methods: These types of techniques are based on chromatography, spectroscopy, immunology, and electrophoresis method. Biochemical methods are more helpful than physical methods because the analytical approach involves various steps as follows:
• Extraction of suitable solvents.
• Chromatographic separation.
• For removing interfering matrix components cleanup.
• Selective detection.
1.13 Conclusion
Food additives are being used since many years for preserving, thickening, blending, adding flavors and colors to food items. Artificial colors are found mainly in junk foods, which are generally high in calories and low in nutrients. Most of the artificial food dyes cause allergic reactions. Yellow 5 which is also known as tartrazine causes hives and asthma symptoms. In a survey conducted within people with chronic hives, many of them had an allergic reaction to the artificial or man-made food dyes. Some supplements may also contain certain contaminants that could even cause cancer like problems. Most of the food dyes does not cause any severe effects. Avoiding the processed foods that consists of the supplements can improve the overall health. Additives play important role in decreasing significant nutritional deficiencies within consumers. Preservatives have played a good role in food industry by preventing the spoilage of food, increasing its life and thus ensuring the safety for consumer’s health. Food additives are capable of meeting the demands of manufacturer as well as of consumer’s. Food additives also have harmful health effects if taken in higher amounts. Therefore, they are being strictly studied, monitored and regulated before approval by FDA. FDA ensures safety of food additives for consumer’s health. Self-precautions must be taken to avoid health risks by checking the ingredients list and other mentioned points on food labels of packed food items before buying them and also replacing processed food items with natural and fresh food products. When evaluated in terms of health aspects, the use of additives must be performed within the limits and to fulfill a certain function within the legal framework.
Preservation has been used from centuries to ensure safety of different food stuff. It also delays the spoiling of food stuff and preventing any alteration in their taste or appearance. But in case of chemical preservatives, the regulation is important because all the chemicals are not allowed to be used in the food. According to the organization, national or international, that is available, the regulation is controlled. The components which are having the grass status are only allowed to be used in the food product.
The second thing that we can do with the chemical preservative is hurdle technology. It is the concept of combination of chemical preservatives or different treatments to preserve the food. With the use of the hurdle technology, we can make the optimum use of the chemical preservatives and the other available technique to meet the consumer demands for healthy and safe foods. Which are being continuously developed to satisfy the increasing current demands of consumer satisfaction and economic preservation in various aspects like nutritional aspects, sensory aspects, absence of preservatives, convenience, low demand of energy, and environmental safety.
To develop high-quality and safety products, we need a better understanding and safety products by better control of processes and selection of ingredients.
The greed of food adulterers to maximize higher profits in short time so that they are making fool to consumers by mal practices like food adulteration. Although adulteration is of three types, intentional, metallic, or incidental, major properties of intentional adulteration are seen everywhere because many of our citizens are not aware what is adulteration, how they are been cheated by the vendors and also they are not aware about side effects of adulterated food. Consumers are usually impressed by physical appearance of food, if the food is looking good, then it is good food and free from adulterants that is what consumers thought before buying. Although several steps have been taken by the government to stop food adulteration various laws are enacted as several seminars have been conducted, articles are published to spread awareness among people. Fraudsters are suing new technologies because in present era adulteration contributes to industries to enormous economic gain. So, it is a duty of consumers to take care of their health itself by analyzing common food items at home, by taking food which is prepared under hygienic condition. Never buy low quality food items which are available in cheap price at local grocery store, always buy food products with a proper barcode billing and having FSSAI certification. Check food labels. If you catch any vendor red handed who is selling adulterated food items, then do not stay quiet file complaint against them because it is a major crime. There are various rules for consumer safety so follow them keep healthy by eating healthy and spread awareness about food adulteration.
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