Turmeric Adulteration: A Review

Jyotsna Lal Professor Chemistry Department Christ Church College, Kanpur. U. P. India Email: jyotsnaₗal@yahoo. com Turmeric, a well known spice of Indian cuisine, which is widely used in cooking and traditional medicine. While we all know it as an Ayurveda-approved spice, commonly referred to as Indian saffron Turmeric, a well known spice of Indian cuisine, which is widely used in cooking and traditional medicine. While we all know it as an Ayurveda-approved spice, commonly referred to as Indian saffron contains curcumin One of the biggest adulteration issues for curcumin, is adulteration with similarly colored synthetic and natural ingredients. These common adulterants include botanical relatives like Curcuma zedoaria, a wild relative of turmeric, also known as white turmeric, which is widely available and closely resembles turmeric. Colorants like metanil yellow (sodium 3-4-anilinophenylazo benzenesulfonate), a synthetic food color and additive, closely mimics the color appearance of curcumin, Bejar notes. Synthetic dyes like lead chromate, acid orange 7, and Sudan Red G have also been used to adulterate natural curcumin, while yellow soapstone powder, a natural mineral, may be used as well.