Post Harvest Profile of Wheat - Agmarknet

Table No.6
Adulterants in Wheat and their effect on health
Sl.No. Adulterants Health effects
1. Admixtures : Sand, Stones, Mud, Grit
excess bran.
2. Chemicals : Heavy metal residues like
Mercury, Copper, Tin, Zinc etc. and
pesticide residues (beyond safe limit)
3. Fungal Diseases : Toxins from
Salmonella, Fusarium, Aspergillus Hill
bunt (Tilletia foetida), Karnal bunt
4.
(Neovassia India), Stem rust (Puccinia
graminis), Loose smut (Ustilago tritici)
Viral : Machupo virus; due to rodent’s
urine
Adverse abrasive effect in
digestive canal / tract
Causes Liver damage and
carcinogenic
paralysis.
metal poisoning,
Vomiting, diarrhea, paralysis,
muscular weakness, damage to
liver, kidney and brain, leading to
death.
Botivian hemmorrha gic fever.
5. Natural contamination Disorder in body organs.
Some Simple Detection Tests for Wheat
Sl.No. Adulterants Detection Test
1. Sand, stone,
grit in grains
2. Hidden insect
infestation
grains
in
By visual examination, by using Grading Machines like drum
grader etc.
Put some grains on impregnated Ninhydrin (1 per cent in
alcohol) filter paper and fold the filter paper and crush the
grains with hammer. A spot of bluish purple colour indicates
presence of hidden insect infestation.
PFA had prescribed the tolerance limits (mg./1 kg. ppm) for pesticides residues and other
substances. Some of these are given below.
1. Pesticide Residue : Biterrtanol (0.05); Methyl chloro phenoxyacetic Acid
(MCPA 0.05); Aldrin dieldrin (0.01); Malathion (4.0);
Pyrethriuns (nil); Cypermethrin (0.05); Lindane or HCH
(0.10); Ethion (0.025); Carbafuran (0.10); Carbazyl (1.5).
2. Toxic Substance : Agaric acid (100); Hydrocyanic acid (5);
Hypericine (1); Saffrole (10).
3. Aflatoxin : (0.03)
4. Poisonous Metals : Methyl Mercury (0.25); Mercury (1.0); Lead (2.5);
Arsenic (1.1); Zinc (50.0); Cadmium (1.5).
5. Microbiological : Moulds (10 4 /gm); B.cereus (10 5 /gm); C.perfringens
Load (10 4 /gm);
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