Are your mustard seeds adulterated with toxic argemone seeds?

Loaded with vitamins and minerals, mustard seeds are an integral part of the Indian spice box that we often use for tempering. From relieving digestive issues to boosting cardiovascular health, these petite seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients. But, do you know that these days even these seeds are being adulterated with toxic argemone seeds. The question of concern is how to detect these toxic seeds? The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has started an initiative on Twitter and is called #DetectingFoodAdulterants that aims at guiding common people on how to detect food adulterants at home. Under this, every week they share a quick test that you can try to check whether your food is adulterated or not. This week, they have shared a test video on how to detect argemone seeds adulteration in mustard seeds. For the unversed, argemone seeds look like mustard seeds and mature with mustard crop and harvested along with mustard. Argemone seeds are often mixed with mustard oil to adulterate them too. Take a look at the side effects of these seeds and how to detect them. (Image: istock and wiki commons)

As per a study by the National Library of Medicine, the seeds contain 30–35% of oil which itself contains 0.13% alkaloids. The seed oil of the plant Argemone mexicana contains the toxic quaternary benzophenanthridine alkaloids sanguinarine and dehydrosanguinarine with lesser quantities of cheletrythrine and coptisine, and small quantities of berberine and protopine, which are isoquinol with argemone oil lead to epidemic dropsy. The same study states that consumption of argemone seeds or oil results in increased permeability of capillaries, leading to edema of the lower body and limbs, with oxidative stress and death of red blood cells causing anaemia and, ultimately, congestive heart failure. (Image: wiki commons)

1. Take a small quantity of mustard seeds on a glass plate.

2. Closely examine for some grainy rough surface seeds black in colour.

3. The unadulterated mustard seeds will have a smooth outer surface.

4. While, the adulterated mustard seeds having argemone seeds will have a grainy, rough surface and will be black in colour. (Image: istock)

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Not just mustard seeds, you can now also check the adulteration of rice, black pepper, sugar, grains, oats, and even mustard oil at home. (Image: istock)