Define Intentional Adulteration - Types of Adulteration?
In intentional adulteration, the substance is added, removed or substitute knowingly by the adulterator for the purpose of making money. A large proportion of products available in market are adulterated. Examples: adding water into milk, if the water is contaminated with pathogens, it lead to food borne diseases; use of caustic soda, urea and soap solution to make synthetic milk containing pesticides; adding unhygienic animal fat from goat or pig into milk to make it creamy; adding non-permitted colours like textile dyes, lead chromate, etc. in sugar and confectioneries; using gum and resins in hing etc. All these are injurious to health.
All types of food adulterations whether done intentionally or unintentionally are harmful to health and may lead to illnesses varying from simple diarrhoea to fevers, gastrointestinal disturbances, liver and kidney diseases, lathyrism, favism, eye damage, organ failure and even death. To avoid these, it is essential to check the presence of adulterants in the food. Foods commonly adulterated in India include milk and milk products, salted products, cereals and pulses, spices, sweets and sweeteners, edible fats and oil, beverages etc.