Adulterant
Definition
A substance added to a food to increase bulk, weight or visual appeal at the cost of safety or nutrition. Examples include argemone oil in mustard oil, metanil yellow in turmeric, sudan red in chilli powder, melamine in milk and copper sulphate on green peas and okra.
- Oil example
- Argemone oil in mustard oil
- Spice example
- Metanil yellow in turmeric, sudan red in chilli
- Dairy example
- Melamine in milk
- Vegetable example
- Copper sulphate on peas, okra
Common questions
How does argemone oil adulteration cause clinical harm?+
It contains sanguinarine, which causes epidemic dropsy, a disease marked by widespread edema and cardiac complications, historically linked to outbreaks from contaminated mustard oil.
What distinguishes an adulterant from a contaminant?+
An adulterant is added deliberately for economic gain, such as bulking or colouring a product cheaply, while a contaminant reaches the food unintentionally through storage, processing or environmental exposure.
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