Turmeric powder , which is a common yellow-golden spice that comes from the root of Curcuma longa , is frequently used in the kitchen to prepare curries, adding nutrition , flavor, and color. Additionally , they have used it in ayurvedic and other forms of traditional medicine in china and india for thousands of years.
Although it has lots of benefits to health but do you know in market there has been a lot of adulteration in turmeric . You can checkout this to know about great benefits of turmeric . Adulterated turmeric instead of giving you benefits , can cause hazard to your health . Therefore , it becomes necessary to check if the turmeric is pure or not . Here in this blog we will give you 6 ways to check adulterated turmeric on your own .
Lets learn about these adulteration tests for turmeric. Each test includes step-by-step instructions and indicates how to interpret the results.
6 Ways to check adulteration in turmeric powder
- metanil test
- starch test
- solubility test
- palm test
- chalk powder test
- lead chromate test
Metanil test to check turmeric powder
Step 1 -Take a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a test tube and add 3 ml of absolute alcohol in it and shake it thoroughly.
Step 2 – Now add 8 to 10 drops of concentrated hydrochloric acid (hcl) in test tube .
Result – If there is appearance of pink color in test tube , it clearly indicates the presence of artificial color metanil in turmeric powder.
Lead chromate test to check turmeric powder
Step 1 – Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of water
Result – If it gets mixed very fast and stains the water, it indicates the presence of lead chromate in it because it is a coloring substance and gives bright yellow color on mixing with water. That means your turmeric is adulterated.
Lead chromate is carcinogenic(cancer causing ) . It can irritate nose and throat and furthermore , affects lungs when inhaled or swallowed.
Solubility test
Step 1 – Take a tea spoon of turmeric powder.
Step 2 – Mix it with water and leave it for atleast 15 minutes .
Result – If it settles down and gives pale yellow color, it is pure turmeric.
If it does not settle down and gives dark yellow stain , that means it is adulterated with some contaminants or dyes.
Palm test
Step 1 – Take some turmeric powder on your palm and rub it for fifteen seconds.
Step 2 – Turn palm upside down .
Result– If turmeric gets stick to the palm and give a yellow stain , it is pure turmeric and if most of the powder falls then it is adulterated.
Chalk powder test to check turmeric powder
Step 1 – Put a teaspoon of turmeric powder in hydrochloric acid or vinegar and mix it carefully .
Result – If the mix forms bubbles, it indicates presence of chalk powder.
Starch test
Step 1 – Place the turmeric under a microscope to check whether if it is mixed with starch or not.
Step 2 – Under the microscope , you can clearly see the structure of fine powder or particles.
Result – Starch particles are light , white , spherical and smaller whereas turmeric particles on the other are yellow , angular and larger.
Conclusion
In brief we can say , there is high demand of turmeric in market for therapeutic uses in ayurvedic medicines and in kitchen for making delicious curries and sabjis . Sellers are adulterating turmeric powder with cheap starch or chalk powder and some other coloring powders for their economic benefits .Therefore, with the increasing demand of turmeric for consumption , it is very important to check whether it is adulterated or pure .
Here you can checkout some good organic brands of turmeric.
Here we discussed about 6 easy methods to check if you are using pure turmeric. Do let us know in comment section if this article was helpful for you .
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