300 liters of fake refined seized, Diwali sweets being made from cancerous oil, FSSAI told 4 ways to check pure oil

Health harm caused by fake or refined oil

Adulterated oil contains high amounts of trans fats, which can put you at risk of heart disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The toxins, metals, pesticides and other chemicals found in them can damage the liver and kidneys.
Consuming these can cause neurological disorders and the immune system can also become weak.
This type of oil lacks essential fatty acids and antioxidants, which can lead to nutrient deficiency in the body.
Prolonged consumption of this type of oil can lead to chronic health problems and breathing problems.

There is dangerous adulteration in refined and oil.

Palm oil is mixed in refined oil, which is cheaper. Its excessive consumption can cause many health problems because it contains high amount of saturated fat.

In these, fake ghee or fat is mixed in oil so that the oil becomes thick and looks like real ghee or oil. Cheap unrefined oils can be mixed with expensive refined oils. Sometimes oils of poor quality such as cotton seed oil, cheap soybean oil, or coconut oil are mixed.
Artificial flavorings and colors may be added to the oil to make it smell or color attractive. Some counterfeit oils may contain trans fats, which can increase the risk of heart disease.

How to check TPC in oil

Tri-ortho-cresyl phosphate (TOCP) is a chemical that can contaminate edible oils and is used to adulterate them. FSSAI According to this, to test it, take at least 2 ml oil in one spoon. Add some yellow butter in it. If at that time the color of the oil turns red, then understand that this chemical has been mixed.

keep an eye on the texture

Cloudiness in the texture of the oil is a sign of adulteration. If the color of the oil is not clear or appears cloudy, it may be a sign of adulteration. Apart from this, if the oil tastes bitter, it could be a sign of pollution or adulteration, because the taste of fresh and genuine oil is always clean and natural.

refrigerator test

Take a small amount of oil and keep it in the refrigerator. If the oil is pure, it can solidify after 2 hours. Adulterated oil will remain liquid. You put a small amount of oil on white paper and let it dry. If the oil is pure, it will leave a uniform and transparent mark. Another solution is to add one spoon of nitric acid to the oil and mix slowly. If the mustard oil changes color or forms a ring on the top, it is adulterated.

Other methods of checking fake refined and oil

Check the nutrition profile on the back of the packet to see what nutrients the oil contains.
Check for certification, look for certifications like organic, non-GMO, etc.
Be sure to check the expiration date as older oil may go bad.
If the price of oil is much lower than the average price in the market, it may be a sign of adulteration.
Pure oil has its own unique aroma which adulterated oil does not have.