10000 kg rotten dates and 13972 litres of adulterated oil seized in Kanpur: FSSAI's oil purity tests to try at home

Come festival season, and the news of food adulteration becomes common. This time, with the ongoing Ramadan month and upcoming Holi festival the demand for sweets and dried fruits has risen, creating scope for adulteration, illegal storage and even spoilage of stocks. In a major operation, the Food Department in Kanpur recently seized a huge stock of rotten dates, adulterated oil and much more. Scroll down to read the details.

In another update, shared on X on February 21, the Kanpur FSDA announced an intensive anti-adulteration drive across the city. During these raids, officials seized 3,972 litres of adulterated oil, 1,350 kg of coloured waste, and goods worth Rs 5.45 lakh from a fake ghee manufacturing unit in Kalyanpur. All seized products have been sent for laboratory analysis.

In another update, shared on X on February 21, the Kanpur FSDA announced an intensive anti-adulteration drive across the city. During these raids, officials seized 3,972 litres of adulterated oil, 1,350 kg of coloured waste, and goods worth Rs 5.45 lakh from a fake ghee manufacturing unit in Kalyanpur. All seized products have been sent for laboratory analysis.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued guidelines for common quick tests that allow consumers to detect some food adulterants at home. The purpose of the manual is to list common methodologies available for food adulterants generally found in India. And the scope of the manual is meant for households, which can induce awareness among the consumer about food safety. Take a look at FSSAI's test for oils and fats, that one can conduct at home.

Take coconut oil in a transparent glass. Place this glass in refrigerator for 30 miniyes. After refrigeration, coconut oil solidiies. If cocout oil is adulerated, then other oils reman as a a separate layer.

Take 2ml of sample oil, add on a litle amount of yellow butter (solid). Immediate formation of red colour indicates the presence of TOCP.

Take 100 ml sample oil in a bottle, cork tightly and seal with paraffin. The bottle is completwly submerged in bucket containining finely cracked ice and water is added until it rises to top of the bottle. The bucket is kept filled solidly with ice by remiving any excess water and adding ice when necessary. Afer 5.5 hours remove the bottle and examine oil. If it is properly winterized, sample will be brillaint, clear, and limpid.