Detection of Adulteration in Edible oil at Home
Oil is used every day in our homes to cook food, and in the preparation of various sweets during festive seasons. Adulteration is observed in edible oils to make them cheaper to manufacture, outrightly jeopardizing the health of consumers. There are three basic adulterations that you can easily identify at your home. Here are some methods that you can apply to check if the oil is real or not.
Detection of Other oils in Coconut oils
Coconut oil is generally adulterated with liquid paraffin, palm oil, and palm kernel oil. Liquid paraffin if ingested, gradually leads to liver disorders and cancer.
Take coconut oil in transparent glass.
Place this glass in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (Do not keep it in the freezer)
Coconut oil solidifies after refrigeration.
If coconut oil is adulterated, then other oils remain as a separate layer, and the coconut oil solidifies.
If the oil is unadulterated, then the whole coconut oil put in transparent glass will be frozen.
Detection of TOCP (Tri-Ortho-Cresyl-Phosphate) in oils and fats
TOCP is a chemical used as a fire retardant, plasticizer, or lubricant, which is produced from the distillation of hydrocarbons of coal tar or petroleum products. It is absorbed through skin or mucosa, and inhalation. Thus, if TOCP is present in the oil, and oil is used for massage, it causes skin irritation, whereas, during cooking, heating of the oil may cause vaporization of TOCP, and its inhalation through the lungs. When it reaches the body, it forms compounds that attack the nerves and lead to organophosphorus-induced delayed neurotoxicity.
Take 2ml of the sample of oil.
Add on a little amount of yellow butter (Solid).
Immediate formation of red color indicates the presence of TOCP.
Proper winterization of refined winterized salad oils/ Adulteration with other oils.
Winterization is a process involving solvent and cold temperature to separate lipids and other desirable compounds from the waxes. The difference in melting points, solubility, and volatility are the factors used to separate the desired and undesired components. The pure liquid oil extract left after filtration, centrifugation, and decantation is obtained (to be processed further) for consumer use.
This implies that if you freeze refined winterized oil, it will remain a clear liquid if it is pure. If you find any solid component, it means the oil is adulterated. For detection, the following method should be used-
Take 100ml sample oil in a bottle, cork tightly, and seal with paraffin.
The bottle should be completely submerged in a bucket containing finely cracked ice. Water should be added until it rises to the top of the bottle.
The bucket should be kept filled solidly with ice by removing any excess water and ice added when necessary.
After 5.5 hours, the bottle should be removed and the oil examined.
If it is properly winterized, the sample will be brilliant, clear, and limpid.
Use these methods easily at your home and check if you are purchasing the right oil for your family. Stay informed with FoodTechnoScience.
It is of great help ,in an adulterated product rush.
Thank you for such an important information.