Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 8

Pulses are cooked in every Indian household but one hardly knows that these days, pulses are not loaded with proteins but with poison. With little check on adulteration, traders continue to put the lives of consumers at risk.From coloured stones to hazardous “khesari dal”, adulterated pulses are being openly sold in the market. The most dangerous adulteration in pulses is mixing khesari in arhar. Pure arhar costs around Rs 160-180 per kg while khesari is very cheap. Both look similar.“The cheap and low quality khesari was banned by the government in 1961. It was used to feed cattle but was banned by the government due to its side effects. Adulteration is more common in other states and traders in Punjab do not resort to such adulteration,” claims Tarsem Sharma, a wholesale pulses trader from the Kesarganj market.Commenting upon the side effects of khesari, Dr Gurmeet Singh said: “Khesari contains diamino-pro-pionic acid which could lead to paralysis of the lower body and numbness in limbs and spine”.Sources said traders start mixing khesari with normal variety of pulses after the prices of arhar soared to more than Rs 200 per kg in some markets, due to poor harvest.Khesari costs just around Rs 40-50 per kg, said sources.Don’t get attracted to the shining pulses as these may be polishes or artificially coloured.“Artificial polishing and colouring leads to cancer, so I opt for organic pulses. They might not look attractive and cost high but when it comes to health I do not compromise and always go for unpolished and chemical-free pulses,” said Neeru Grewal, a residen

Adulterants and their side-effects

• Sand, marble chips, stones are some of the adulterants found in pulses which affect the digestive tract.
• Asbestos in particulate or powder form (for polishing), which causes cancer.
• Metanil yellow (non-permitted food colour) is added to old stocks of pulses to enhance colour. It is carcinogenic and causes stomach disorders. It also causes testicular degeneration in men if consumed for a long time.
• Soluble coal tar dye is used to enhance quality and make pulses look clean. It is highly injurious to health.
• Khesari pulse is often mixed with other pulses. Regular consumption of this pulse causes paralysis of the limbs.

What is adulteration

• The technical definition of food adulteration according to the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is: “The addition or subtraction of any substance to or from food, so the natural composition and quality of food substance is affected.”

Be cautious

• Buy commodities from familiar shops and cooperative stores.
• Buy reliable brands of food with ISI mark.
• As far as possible, buy food item in sealed packets.

Check it yourself

• Dissolve half a spoon full of “besan” or turmeric powder in 20 ml of lukewarm water. Add a few drops of hydrochloric acid or any commonly available acid at home. If water turns pink, violet or purple, it shows that metanil yellow, a non-permitted colour, is present.