MCQs on Adulterants - Economic Botany

1. Mustard seeds are commonly adulterated with seeds of:
a) Poppy
b) Linseed
c) Argemone mexicana
d) Papaya
✅ Answer: c) Argemone mexicana

2. The toxin sanguinarine, found in adulterated mustard seeds, causes:
a) Cancer
b) Dropsy
c) Tuberculosis
d) Rickets
✅ Answer: b) Dropsy

3. Black pepper is adulterated with:
a) Papaya seeds
b) Tamarind seeds
c) Mustard seeds
d) Coffee beans
✅ Answer: a) Papaya seeds

4. Turmeric is often adulterated with:
a) Lead nitrate
b) Lead chromate
c) Mercury chloride
d) Arsenic trioxide
✅ Answer: b) Lead chromate

5. Red chilli powder is adulterated with:
a) Brick powder
b) Lead oxide
c) Sudan dye
d) All of these
✅ Answer: d) All of these

6. Coffee is sometimes adulterated with:
a) Roasted tamarind seed powder
b) Roasted chicory root
c) Date seed powder
d) All of these
✅ Answer: d) All of these

7. What is the common adulterant in wheat flour?
a) Chalk powder
b) Brick powder
c) Rice bran
d) Arrowroot
✅ Answer: a) Chalk powder

8. Tea leaves may be adulterated with:
a) Used tea leaves
b) Iron fillings
c) Tamarind leaves
d) All of these
✅ Answer: d) All of these

9. The toxic coloring agent used as adulterant in turmeric and sweets is:
a) Tartrazine
b) Sunset yellow
c) Lead chromate
d) Rhodamine B
✅ Answer: c) Lead chromate

10. Which of the following is a toxic dye used to color red chilli powder?
a) Congo red
b) Sudan I
c) Brilliant blue
d) Tartrazine
✅ Answer: b) Sudan I

11. What is added to milk to increase its thickness fraudulently?
a) Sugar
b) Chalk
c) Starch
d) Gelatin
✅ Answer: c) Starch

12. Which of the following is an adulterant in honey?
a) Glucose
b) Inverted sugar
c) Jaggery syrup
d) All of these
✅ Answer: d) All of these

13. What is a common adulterant in ice cream that causes health issues like abdominal pain?
a) Washing powder
b) Formalin
c) Detergent
d) Starch
✅ Answer: a) Washing powder

14. Pigeon pea (toor dal) may be adulterated with:
a) Metanil yellow
b) Kesari dal
c) Horse gram
d) Moong dal
✅ Answer: b) Kesari dal

15. Which of the following causes lathyrism when consumed over time?
a) Bengal gram
b) Lentil
c) Lathyrus sativus (Kesari dal)
d) Soybean
✅ Answer: c) Lathyrus sativus (Kesari dal)

16. What is the common adulterant found in salt?
a) Sugar
b) White sand
c) Chalk
d) Powdered glass
✅ Answer: b) White sand

17. Common adulterant in ghee is:
a) Butter
b) Starch
c) Vanaspati
d) Urea
✅ Answer: c) Vanaspati

18. Which of the following is not a known adulterant in pulses?
a) Kesari dal
b) Polished stones
c) Iron fillings
d) Tamarind pulp
✅ Answer: d) Tamarind pulp

19. What is used to enhance the green color of vegetables artificially?
a) Malachite green
b) Lead oxide
c) Sudan dye
d) Indigo
✅ Answer: a) Malachite green

20. Adulteration of food is regulated under which Indian law?
a) Prevention of Food Wastage Act
b) Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006
c) Consumer Protection Act
d) Essential Commodities Act
✅ Answer: b) Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006