Trendy to toxic: Is turmeric losing its golden hue?

Subject: Science and Tech

Section: Health

In the news:

Lead chromate, used to enhance turmeric’s colour, has raised safety concerns due to high lead levels found in turmeric samples from households in Bihar, India, and larger surveys across eight districts, including other spices exceeding permissible limits.

Details:

Why adulterants are used?
- Brighter spices correlate with better quality, enhancing turmeric’s golden colour.
Lead poisoning impact: It is a neurotoxin that affects children’s learning abilities, hampers brain development and increases the risk of heart and brain diseases.
The average blood lead levels in 23 states are above safe levels.
Spice adulterants used are: Powdered paper pulp, synthetic dyes, metanil yellow and lead chromite.
Efforts to tackle spice adulteration: Raids, educational campaigns, and stricter testing to tackle spice adulteration.
- Bangladesh successfully eradicated turmeric adulteration using raids and education, providing a potential model for India.
- Stakeholders, including FSSAI and public policy organizations, emphasize stringent testing on spice sellers and increasing public awareness to address this pervasive issue threatening public health.

Health effects of Turmeric:

Turmeric contains the element ‘curcumin’ which provides health benefits.
The reports underline that turmeric has “choleretic” properties, which means it stimulates the secretion of bile to improve digestion.

India’s spice export:

India is the top producer of spices globally.
India’s spice exports have doubled in the last nine years, reaching significant values.
India is a leading producer and exporter of turmeric in the world. India produces 80% of turmeric in the world.

Challenges associated:

The high costs associated with conducting larger-scale studies and the need for comprehensive data to understand the extent of the issue, paving the way for effective policy interventions.

For details on Lead Poisoning