Officials conducted a raid at an illegal ginger-garlic paste manufacturing unit in Patel Nagar, Bandlaguda, Hyderabad wherein they found Patel Nagar, Bandlaguda. This led to the arrest of 44-year-old Mohammed Faisal, a resident of Patel Nagar.
He was involved in the preparation and sale of chemically adulterated ginger-garlic paste to general stores as well as directly to customers in the area. He was operating the unit from his residence wherein he was manufacturing ginger-garlic paste using harmful chemicals such as Titanium Dioxide and Mono Citrate. These are compounds that are banned for use in food production under the guidelines of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Use of ginger-garlic paste
Ginger-garlic paste is a staple in Indian homes as they are used in most dishes. From curries to fries and more, ginger-garlic paste is a constant. But it is not possible that you make it at home and a lot of people tend to buy it from outside since it is convenient.
However, with reports of adulteration, there have been concerns over the use of store-bought ginger-garlic paste. Are you worried if your store-bought ginger-garlic paste is pure or not? Here are a few tests that will tell you the reality of your ginger-garlic paste.
How to check if your ginger-garlic paste is authentic?
- Smell Test: Open the container and take a deep sniff. Pure paste has a strong, unmistakable natural smell. If it smells sour, overly chemical, or unusually mild, it may have preservatives; synthetic fillers, or spoiled ingredients.
- Texture and Appearance: Take a small amount on a spoon and examine it. Pure paste is not fully smooth because both ginger and garlic are fibrous. If the paste is overly smooth, jelly-like, or has an unusual shine, it may contain starch, synthetic thickeners or other
- adulterants.
- Water Separation Test: Leave a spoonful of the paste in a glass of water for 10–15 minutes. If the paste quickly separates, forms a cloudy layer, or releases a coloured liquid, it may be mixed with synthetic dyes or fillers. Pure paste tends to settle without much colour separation.
- Starch Test (Iodine Test): Add a few drops of iodine solution to a small paste sample. If it's pure, there should be no colour change. If the paste turns blue-black, it indicates the presence of starch, which is a common adulterant used to bulk up the paste.
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