How to check the purity of Mustard oil - 3 Simple home tests

Festive season brings with it a wave of happiness as well as stress as it is the time when adulteration in foods and staples is at its peak, and one such common cooking ingredient is mustard oil, which is commonly used in most Indian households. There’s no denying that it is tough to trace contamination of oil at home, but you will be amazed to know that there are many easy ways that will help you check the purity of your store bought mustard oil at home.

​This is an easy and effective way to test the purity of mustard oil, pour some mustard oil into a bowl and place it in the refrigerator for a few hours. Pure mustard oil will generally remain in liquid form or show very little change in consistency at cold temperatures. However, if the oil contains adulterants like palm oil, you will notice white spots or solidification forming in the oil. This indicates impurity because palm and some other oils solidify at low temperatures while pure mustard oil does not.
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Take a few drops of mustard oil on your palm and rub your hands together. Pure mustard oil has a pungent aroma and does not leave any colored residue on the skin. If the oil releases color when rubbed or has a chemical or artificial smell, it is a sign of adulteration with synthetic substances or cheap oils. Pure mustard oil also has a strong characteristic smell that may cause slight eye irritation when exposed directly.

This is a more chemical-based test but can be attempted carefully at home if nitric acid is available. Mix equal parts (about 5 ml each) of mustard oil and nitric acid in a clean test tube or glass container. Shake gently and observe the color change. Pure mustard oil does not change color in nitric acid, whereas adulterated oil will turn orange-yellow to red due to the presence of contaminants like Argemone oil or other additives.​