Holi 2018: 4 Traditional Holi Sweets and Snacks That Could Be Adulterated

Holi is less than a week away, and just like us we are sure you can't wait for the feasting to begin too. From sugary gujiyas to greasy kachorisand dahi bhalla, Holi makes for a good license to indulge. This yea, Holi would be celebrated on 2nd March 2018. Like each year, sweetmeat shops across the country are lined with traditional sweets and snacks. And like each year, you must have decided to buy your stock of favourite sweets too. But beware! There is a strong chance of many of these sweets to be adulterated and contaminated with cheap ingredients that can do immense harm to your body and health in the long run.

Here are 4 common Holi desserts that could be adulterated

1. Gujiya

One cannot possibly imagine Holi without the trademark gujiyas.Gujiyas are fried dough packets filled with coconut, khoya and jaggery. And if you think it is just the fried and sugary nature of the gujiya that could prove to be a problem, then you could be wrong. The problem may also lie in the filling of gujiya which is primarily made of khoya, coconut, mawa and jaggery. Mr. Ashwin Bhadri, CEO at Equinox labs and expert in FSSAI Compliance and Food Safety Management says, "Khoya, mawa and milk are adulterated with starch to give that thick consistency to the sweets." Jaggery also forms an integral part of gujiya fillings. In the recent past, jaggery has been under scrutiny too. He adds, "Sulphur Dioxide is commonly used in the processing of jaggery - the black syrup is converted into the dark yellow hard mass. More the Sulphur Dioxide used, the brighter the colour. However, Food Safety Regulations does not permit more than 70 ppm of sulphur dioxide; in the festive times of Holi, this number increases to as high as 350 ppm - 1,500 ppm. This is detrimental to health of the consumers, which has become an easy means for certain food businesses to make money."

(Also Read: Holi 2018 Special: 7 Interesting Ways To Make Gujiyas Healthy This Holi!)

2. Puran Poli

Maharashtra's favourite festive dessert makes for an integral part of Marathi Holi celebrations too. Puran poli is a flat bread filled with sweet lentil, nutmeg and cardamom filling, laden with ghee. "Puran polis generally have equal parts of whole wheat and refined wheat flour; shops may use cheap, stale refined wheat flour that can hamper the quality of the sweet," says Mr. Bhadri. "It is also not surprising to find chemicals, artificial flavors and coloured fake ingredients in place of rich and costly spices, condiments and nuts. Hence, it is always advised to buy nuts and dry fruits from a certified retailer, or a branded, packaged product", Mr. Bhadri cautions.

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(Also Read:Holi 2018: A Fully Prepared Holi Lunch Menu For A Memorable Holi Party)

3. Kulfi and Thandai

Milk is said to be one of the most adulterated items that are doing the round in the urban food sector. Kulfi and thandai both have milk as their major ingredients. Thandai is a special beverage, native to India and prepared extensively during Holi. One of the most common adulterants in milk is starch, "To check the presence of starch, one can add the questionable raw ingredient in water and few drops of iodine in it. If it turns blue, the food could be adulterated. A testing report from NABL Accredited Laboratory seems a better option than simply guessing; however, at such short time, it becomes difficult to get the reports well before time to make amends. Also, there are traces of Metanil Yellow and Sodium Bicarbonate, which can be detected by Hydrochloric acid. FSSAI has recently released DART [Detect Adulteration by Rapid Test] - a book that helps home testing of food products to detect adulteration, " adds Mr. Bhadri.

Food adulteration and contamination could prove detrimental to your overall health. If you truly wish to have a happy and safe Holi, it is always advisable to maintain caution.

Happy Holi 2018!