Food items often face adulteration in the market, ranging from spices to dairy products, posing potential risks. Many products available are impure. Even seemingly healthy cooking oils, like the widely used Mustard Oil in India, aren’t immune to adulteration. Edible oils, integral to our daily diet, are susceptible to this issue, and pure ‘sarson ka tel’ offers unique health benefits compared to refined oils, making it a preferred choice in Northern and Eastern regions of India.
Freezing Test
The freezing test provides a straightforward method to detect impurities in Mustard oil. Pour the oil into a bowl, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours, and then check for freezing and the presence of white spots. If the oil exhibits freezing and white spots upon removal, it indicates adulteration, rendering the purchased mustard oil incapable of delivering the usual benefits during cooking.
Rubbing Test
The rubbing test offers a simple method to assess Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil quality. Take a teaspoon, rub it between your palms, and stop to smell. A genuine oil should yield a pungent and aromatic mustard oil scent. If, however, you detect a chemical odour accompanied by a hint of colour, it indicates adulteration in the oil.
Nitric Acid Test
To perform the nitric acid test, combine 5ml of mustard oil and 5ml of Nitric acid in a test tube, shake gently, and observe the colour. Unadulterated mustard oil won’t change colour, while adulterated oil will show an orange-yellow to red colour in the acidic layer.
Barometer Test
For the barometer test, pour mustard oil into a bowl and dip a barometer gently. A reading between 58 to 60.5 suggests the oil is likely pure, whereas any reading beyond these numbers indicates impurity.
The ingestion of adulterated mustard oil containing Argemone oil, even briefly, can result in a clinical condition known as ‘Epidemic Dropsy.’ This condition induces oxidative stress and the death of red blood cells by altering pyridine nucleotide and glutathione redox potential through methemoglobin formation. Adulteration of Argemone oil poses a significant threat to human health, emphasizing the need for vigilant oversight by regulatory authorities.
