Purity Check These 8

Dairy Products

Before Preparing Festive Recipes

Celebratory times come with mithai, kheer, ghee-filled sweet treats, and other festive recipes, leading to an increased need for dairy items. What's not so good is that the increasing demand could encourage vendors to use water, starch, and even soap to stretch out supplies. But what's great is that you can conduct easy tests in the kitchen prior to cooking. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has provided 'DART' (Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test) methods using just water, tincture of iodine, and other common household items.

Condensed milk is made by eliminating most of the water content from milk along with adding sugar, thereby resulting in a thick and sweet taste. Since the milk is already thick, there may be a temptation to increase thickening agents. You can test it by mixing one teaspoon of condensed milk with some warm water. After it cools down, add two or three drops of tincture of iodine. If the colour turns blue, then there is starch in it, which is definitely not supposed to be there.

Butter is an important ingredient for festive recipes, right from parathas to pav bhaji. An easy-to-carry-out test for detecting the presence of starch, which can be introduced into the product from sources such as mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, has been recommended by the FSSAI. Take half a teaspoon of butter and put it in a clear glass container. Now, add two to three drops of tincture of iodine to it. If the butter changes colour to blue, there is starch in it, thereby adulterating it.

Ice cream is an exciting festive food, but if one wants to use starch for thickening cheaper ones, the iodine test that is applied to other dairy products may come in handy. Put a spoonful of melted ice cream in a glass bowl and then apply two to three drops of tincture of iodine. Blue colouration indicates the presence of starch, whereas real ice cream does not change its colour. Compare it with the contents stated on the label, as declared stabilisers and starches are not the same thing.

The use of curd, also known as dahi, is necessary for making raita, kadhi, and lassi on special occasions. Sometimes, starch is used in curd to make it appear thick and creamy. The test for this is done by putting one tablespoon of curd in a bowl, adding some water, and mixing it. Add two or three drops of iodine solution to it. If there is a change in colour to blue, then the curd contains starch.

Milk is central to festive cooking, hence the need to test it. Test for water by applying one drop on a shiny inclined plane: true milk will either stay put or move slowly, leaving a white path, whereas watered milk will move fast with no trace at all. Test for detergent by shaking 5 ml to 10 ml of milk with an equivalent quantity of water; a lot of foam indicates detergent, whereas pure milk creates less foam. Test for starch by adding two to three drops of iodine solution; blue indicates starch.

Khoya is the basic ingredient for gulab jamun, peda, and barfi, and its demand increases around the festive season. Starch can be one of the potential adulterants. Take a small amount of khoya and add it to 5 ml of water. Allow the mixture to come to a boiling point, and then allow it to cool. Now, add two to three drops of tincture of iodine. A blue colour denotes the presence of starch, whereas pure khoya does not show any blue colour. Fresh khoya smells like milk and tastes granular.

Ghee adds fragrance to sweets during festivals, but ghee can be contaminated with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and even starch. Mix half a teaspoon of ghee in a clear glass bowl and then add two or three drops of tincture of iodine. The ghee will turn blue if starch is present in it. Pure ghee never turns blue. Always purchase ghee from an FSSAI-certified brand and make sure that the licence number is mentioned on the label. Keep the ghee in a clean, dry, and airtight container.

Paneer and channa find their place in every festive food menu in dishes like Palak Paneer and Rasgulla. Starch is a popular adulterant. Take a small amount of the sample (around 2–3 ml) along with 5 ml of water, let it cool, and then add two to three drops of tincture of iodine. If there is blue colouration in the sample, there is starch in it; otherwise, it is paneer. Fresh paneer should be soft, spongy, and milky-white in colour.