“Smart and attractive packaging of spices might victimize you and play with your health.”
Pride of every cook, spices are too subject to adulteration. Did the safety, hygiene, and quality of the spices in your kitchen convince you ever? From clogged nose opening Adrak chai and Elaichi chai, lip-smacking butter chicken, paneer tikka to anti-septic Haldi doodh, Indian cuisine is a delicate blend of fresh and dried spices. Even eggs being adulterated in the present scenario, spices are no exception.
For say, did you know that ‘Sudan 1’ used as red dye in chili powder is described as a 3rd category carcinogen? Also, the expensive saffron strands available at retail outlets is dyed with desiccated maize cobs tendrils?
On Your Detective Mode!
Usually delivered in powdered texture, spices make it real-easy to be mixed with ‘fillers’ to earn huge profits. Seller’s might cheat right under your nose and you won’t be able to detect the same. When food adulteration is considered, especially spices, sawdust, flour and other ingredients are added as ‘fillers’ in spices. Substandard spices are used in powdered form with wise packaging at high prices. Indirectly, compromising on the quality.
Hence, it becomes essential to detect food adulteration. Honestly speaking, it might ruin your health and those of others associated with you. Enduring usage of adulterated spices may result in stomach disorders, ulcers, diarrhea, liver dysfunction, and in worst cases, it might cause cancer and poor heart health.
This review is aimed at serving an all-inclusive summary concerning recent findings of spices as well as the active compounds present in it. In a nutshell; their role in terms of food preservation and extension of product shelf-life in the form of natural bio ingredient.
Adulteration & The Impact
Food adulteration is no less than an epidemic. Extreme use of chemicals, colours, pesticides, and additives is being accepted on a broad spectrum overlooking the fact of it being a deadly combination. Undoubtedly, monetary gains play an essential role without giving a thought to far-reaching health hazards.
Certain most commonly adulterated spices include:
- Coriander and dried ginger powder
- Dried red chilli and cardamom
- Cumin and pickle powder
- Garam masala and curd chilli
- Chilli powder and fennel seeds
- Kashmiri chilli powder and rasam powder
These spices contain pesticides beyond the prescribed limits by the Food Union.
Hence, we must start buying and consuming spices that are safe, chemical-free, free of preservatives, no additives like the ones delivered by Healthy Roots.
If overlooked, consumption of these spices might lead to nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, digestion issues, etc. Different in color and price, but after being mixed, spices hit your taste buds. So, it becomes essential that you include the right one in your kitchen and diet.