Whether it is the essential ‘salt to taste’ in every recipe, or just the right amount of sugar in your morning coffee, our meals are incomplete without these culinary staples — salt and sugar.
However, the salt and sugar that we consume on a daily basis can pose a hidden risk.
According to an August 2024 study by Toxics Link, an environmental research organisation, all Indian salt and sugar brands — whether small or big, packaged or unpackaged, sold both online and in local markets — contain microplastics. The study found microplastics in the form of pellets, films, fragments, and fibre.
Beyond microplastics, your salt and sugar may also be adulterated with other impurities. But how can you tell if the ones in your kitchen are pure?
Here are four simple tests you can try at home to check for yourself:
The Water Test: Take a spoonful of sugar or salt and dissolve it in a glass of water. In its pure form, both salt and sugar will dissolve completely, leaving the water clear. However, if the salt or sugar has been adulterated with chalk powder, the water will turn slightly white.
The Potato Test: This test is especially useful for checking the purity of iodised salt. Sprinkle some salt on a potato slice and then squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over it. If the iodised salt is genuine, the potato will retain its natural colour. If the salt is mixed with common salt, the potato will turn blue.
The Smell Test: Dissolve some sugar in a glass of water and give it a sniff. Pure sugar should have no smell. However, if the sugar has been tampered with urea, you’ll notice a pungent ammonia-like odour.
The HCL Test: Jaggery, a natural sweetener, is another product that can be adulterated. To test for this, take some crushed jaggery and place it in a test tube. Add a few drops of Hydrochloric acid (HCL) to it. If the jaggery starts bubbling, it’s a sign that it has been mixed with impurities like baking soda or washing powder. Pure jaggery, on the other hand, will not react in this manner.
With the rising cases of food adulteration and growing concerns over food safety, it’s more important than ever to be vigilant. Taking just a few minutes to perform these simple tests can help you ensure that the salt, sugar, and jaggery in your kitchen are pure, safeguarding your health and well-being.
Edited by Pranita Bhat
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