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Testing Method 2:

• Powder a gram of asafoetida and take it in a glass container.
• Add one tea spoon of water. Mix thoroughly by shaking.
• Milky white solution with no sediments represents pure asafoetida.

Test 2: Detection of papaya seeds in Black Pepper

Testing Method 1:

• Add some amount of black pepper to a glass of water.
• Pure black pepper settles at the bottom.
• In the adulterated black pepper, papaya seeds float on the surface of water.

Testing Method 2:

• Spread spice on a white paper.
• Observe the appearance of the sample using the magnifying glass.
• Black pepper is brown in colour. It has a wrinkled surface and has a characteristic smell and pungent taste.
• The papaya seeds have shrunken smooth surface and oval shape. It is greenish brown or blackish brown in colour and has a repulsive flavour.

Test 3: Detection of Light Black Berries in Black Pepper

Testing Method:

• Press the berries with the help of fingers.
• Light berries will break easily while black berries of pepper will not break.

Test 4: Detection of Soap Stone or other earthy matter in asafoetida (Hing)

Testing Method:

• Shake little portion of the sample with water and allow to settle.
• Pure asafoetida will not leave any soap stone or other earthy matter at the bottom.
• If asafoetida is adulterated, soap stone or other earthy matter will settle down at the bottom.

Test 5: Detection of artificial/water soluble synthetic colors in chill powder

Testing Method:

• Sprinkle chilli powder on the surface of water taken in a glass tumbler.
• The artificial colourants will immediately start descending in colour streaks.

Test 6: Detection of saw dust in chilli powder

Testing Method:

• Add the sample to water.
• The saw dust will float at the surface of water while Chilli powder will settle down in bottom.

Test 7: Detection of Starch in asafoetida (Hing)

Testing Method:

• dd the sample to water.
• The artificial colourants will immediately start descending in colour streaks.

Test 8: Detection of Chalk in common salt

Testing Method:

• Stir a spoonful of sample of salt in a glass of water.
• The presence of chalk will make solution white and other insoluble impurities will settle down.

Test 9: Detection of exhausted cloves in clove

Testing Method:

• Take some water in a glass and put cloves.
• Genuine cloves will settle down at the bottom while exhausted cloves will float on surface.

Test 10: Detection of cassia bark in cinnamon

Testing Method:

• Take small quantity of cinnamon in a glass plate.
•  If adulterated, on close visual examination, cassia bark that comprises of several layers in between the rough outer and inner most smooth layers can be differentiated from cinnamon.
•  Cinnamon barks are very thin that can be rolled around a pencil or pen. It has a distinct smell.

Test 11: Detection of grass seed coloured with charcoal dust in cumin seeds

Testing Method:

• Rub small amount of cumin seeds on palms.
• If palms turn black, adulteration is indicated.

Test 12: Detection of argemone seeds in Mustard seeds

Testing Method:

• Take small quantity of mustard seeds in a glass plate.
• Examine visually for the argemone seeds.
• Mustard seeds have a smooth surface and when pressed, inside it is yellow in colour.
• Argemone seeds have grainy, rough surface and are black in colour. When pressed, inside it is white in colour.

Test 13: Detection of lead chromate in turmeric whole

Testing Method:

• Add small quantity of turmeric whole in a transparent glass of water.
• Pure turmeric will not leave any colour.
• Adulterated turmeric appears to be bright in colour and leaves colour immediately in water.

Test 14: Detection of artificial color in turmeric whole

Testing Method:

• Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of water.
• Natural turmeric powder leaves light yellow colour while settling down.
• Adulterated turmeric powder will leave a strong yellow colour in water while settling down.

Test 15: Detection of saw dust/powdered bran in powdered spices

Testing Method:

• Sprinkle powdered spices on the water surface.
• Pure spices will not leave any saw dust/powdered bran on the surface of water.
• If spices are adulterated, saw dust/powdered bran will float on the surface.

Test 16: Differentiation of common salt and iodized salt

Testing Method:

• Cut a piece of potato, add salt and wait for a minute.
• Add two drops of lemon juice.
• If it is iodised salt, blue colour will develop.
• In the case of common salt, there will be no blue colour.

Test 17: Detection of coloured dried tendrils of maize cob in saffron 

Testing Method:

• Genuine saffron will not break easily like artificial. Artificial saffron is prepared by soaking maize cob in sugar and colouring it with coal tar.
• Take a transparent glass of water and add small quantity of saffron.
• If saffron is adulterated, the artificial colour dissolves in water rapidly. A bit of pure saffron when allowed to dissolve in water will continue to give its saffron colour so long as it lasts.

Fruits & Vegetables:

Test 1: Detection of malachite green in green vegetables like bitter gourd, green chilli and others  

Testing Method 1:

• Take a cotton piece soaked in water or vegetable oil. (conduct the test separately).
• Rub the outer green surface of a small part of green vegetable/chilli.
• If the cotton turns green, then it is adulterated with malachite green.

Testing Method 2:

• Take a small part of the sample and place on a piece of moistened white blotting paper.
• The impression of colour on the paper indicates the use of malachite green, or any other low priced artificial colour.

Test 2: Detection of artificial colour on peas   

Testing Method:

• Take little amount of green peas in a transparent glass.
• Add water to it and mix well.
• Let it stand for half an hour.
• Clear separation of colour in water indicates adulteration.

Test 3: Detection of rhodamine B in sweet potato

Testing Method:

• Take a cotton ball soaked in water or vegetable oil. (conduct the test separately).
• Rub the outer red surface of the sweet potato.
• If cotton absorbs colour, then it indicates the usage of rhodamine B for colouring the outer surface of sweet potato.

Beverages:

Test 1: Detection of clay in coffee powder

Testing Method:

• Add ½ teaspoon of coffee powder in a transparent glass of water.
• Stir for a minute and keep it aside for 5 minutes. Observe the glass at the bottom.
• Pure coffee powder will not leave any clay particles at the bottom.
• If coffee powder is adulterated, clay particles will settle at the bottom.

Test 2: Detection of chicory powder in coffee powder

Testing Method:

• Take a transparent glass of water.
• Add a teaspoon of coffee powder.
• Coffee powder floats over the water but chicory begins to sink.

Test 3: Detection of exhausted tea in tea leaves

Testing Method 1:

• Take a filter paper and spread few tea leaves.
• Sprinkle with water to wet the filter paper.
• Wash the filter paper under tap water and observe the stains against light.
• Pure tea leaves will not stain the filter paper.
• If coal tar is present, it will immediately stain the filter paper.

Testing Method 2:

• Take small amount of tea leaves/ dust and place it in the centre of a filter paper.
• Add water drop by drop at the heap of the tea leaves/ dust.
• If the tea is adulterated with a coloured tea, water will dissolve the added colour and leave streak of colour in the filter paper.

Testing Method 3:

• Spread a little slaked lime on white porcelain tile or glass plate.
• Sprinkle a little tea dust on the lime.
• Red, orange or other shades of colour spreading on the lime will show the presence of coal tar colour.
• In case of genuine tea, there will be only a slight greenish yellow colour due to chlorophyll, which will appear after some time.

Test 4: Detection of iron fillings in tea leaves

Testing Method:

• Take small quantity of tea leaves in a glass plate.
• Move the magnet through the tea leaves.
• Pure tea leaves will not show any iron filings on the magnet.
• If adulterated, then iron filings will be seen on the magnet.

Download & Read: Manual to detect common adulterants at home (Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test-DART)

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