Jaggery adulterated with washing powder or baking soda: FSSAI's simple home tests to help protect from side effects

In January, ahead of the Pongal festival, officials of the Food Safety Division had seized around one tonne of adulterated jaggery at the Vellore wholesale market. on Tuesday. And earlier in 2025, the FDA officials had seized jaggery in Bengaluru that was adulterated with washing soda and chalk powder. It was found that the market players included additives like metanil yellow to give a golden-yellow hue to jaggery. These instances are alarming not just from a market perspective but also from a human health angle. Jaggery, which is considered to be a healthy alternative to sugar is not safe anymore and hence, it is important to be extra careful while buying jaggery. According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, one can follow these two DIY tests when buying jaggery. Scroll down to read the details.

It is considered an alternative to sugar, which contains digestive enzymes that help in digestion and bowel movement, making it a natural remedy against constipation and indigestion. It also acts as a natural cleansing agent that helps detoxify the liver. Jaggery is rich in minerals such as zinc and selenium, which help boost immunity and fight infections, and it is said to help purify the blood by removing toxic elements from it. It also improves overall skin texture. The rich iron and folate content helps fight problems related to iron deficiency, and it is known for its warming nature, and that's why recommended to be consumed during winters. It also has natural decongestant properties that help in treating respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, and others. But for all this, jaggery needs to be pure and to test that one can follow these DIY steps suggested by FSSAI.

Take 2 gm of jaggery in a test tube.
Add 1 ml of HCL acid in the test tube.
No bubbles are obserevd in the unadulterated jaggery
Bubble formation is observed in the adulterated jaggery
According to the FSSAI's YouTube video, sodium bicarbonate reacts with acid to release carbon dioxide which is the reaction behind bubble formation.

Take 1/4th teaspoon of crushed jaggery in a test tube
Add 3 ml HCL acid in the test tube
No bubbles are obserevd in the unadultrated jaghery
Bubble formation is observed in the adulterated jaggery
According to the FSSAI's YouTube video, sodium bicarbonate reacts with acid to release carbon dioxide which is the reaction behind bubble formation.

According to experts, detergent or washing powder is unfit for human consumption. Any sort of ingestion can be extremely harmful and may cause severe health complications. It can lead to digestive issues including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Also, the strong alkaline and acidic ingredients in detergent can cause burns in the throat, esophagus, and stomach. It is also said that if inhaled, detergent can cause coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.

While baking soda is used in cooking, baking, and even home remedies, excessive intake of it can increase blood pressure and may be harmful for people with hypertension or heart problems if consumed frequently. It can also cause bloating, gas, stomach cramps, and nausea. In some cases, it can also disturb the natural acid balance of the stomach.

According to FSSAI, it is crucial to check for a valid FSSAI licence number on packaged jaggery.
Avoid buying open jaggery at shops and on streets.
Always taste before buying to check for authenticity.

In case you don't get pure and unadulterated jaggery, one can use coconut sugar, palm sugar, date sugar, honey, or maple syrup as a sweetening agent for desserts and other dishes.

Images Courtesy: istock