Make sure your festive sweets are safe
Delicacies like modaks, laddus, and kaju katli are synonymous with festivals. In order to enhance the yellow color of sweets, kesar (saffron) is added sometimes. However, since Kesar is quite expensive, ensure that you buy Kesar sweets from reliable outlets selling branded products, otherwise there is a high chance of falling victim to adulteration.
When purchasing branded products, check the manufacturing date, expiry date, batch number, food license number, and AGMARK or ISI certifications on the packaging. Additionally, make sure that the packaging is properly sealed and has not been tampered with.
Paneer, milk, and khoya are usually adulterated with starch in order to give a thick, rich texture to sweets. You can check for the presence of starch mixed with khoya. To do so, take a small sample, mix it with water and boil it. Allow it to cool and add 2 drops of iodine to the solution. If the solution turns blue, then the khoya has been adulterated with starch.
More importantly, synthetic artificial flavors are also added in sugary drinks, which may be prohibited under food safety regulations due to their harmful effects. These chemicals are used to enhance color, taste or even texture. Therefore, it is advisable to buy the ingredients fresh from a trustworthy retailer and prepare traditional drinks at home.
In order to give the sweet a finer appearance and reduce the cost of production, unethical sweet merchants put in unhealthy add-ons. Stale products often taste slightly sour and emit a musty smell.
Majority of the population is not optimally aware of food adulteration and the ways in which food items are laced with harmful additives. Adulteration should always be in the mind of the consumers before they purchase food items, especially sweets during festivals. Always smell or taste the sweets before buying in bulk.
Moreover, it is imperative for the consumers to check the sanitisation standards of the sweet shop they are buying sweets from; check whether food handlers are following basic cleanliness and hygiene norms or not.