Bought Fake Spices? Try These FSSAI-Recommended Tests For Black Pepper, Cloves And Cinnamon
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FSSAI recommends simple home tests to check black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon for adulteration. Use water tests, visual inspection, and texture checks to identify genuine spices.
Cloves may be adulterated with “exhausted” cloves—those from which much of the essential oil has already been extracted. (Image: Canva)
You crushed cinnamon and cloves for an aromatic cup of masala chai and added black pepper to soothe your throat. But the chai was neither as fragrant nor as flavourful as expected, leaving you wondering whether the spices were adulterated.
If you have similar doubts, try these simple FSSAI-recommended tests to check black pepper, cloves and cinnamon at home.
Check Black Pepper For Papaya Seeds
The Water Test
Add a small quantity of black pepper to a glass of water. Genuine, mature peppercorns should settle at the bottom, while papaya seeds used as adulterants may float on the surface.
The Visual And Smell Test
Spread the peppercorns on white paper and examine them under a magnifying glass.
Black pepper is generally brown, with a wrinkled surface, a characteristic aroma, and a pungent taste. Papaya seeds are typically oval with a shrunken but comparatively smooth surface. They may appear greenish-brown or blackish-brown and have an unpleasant flavour.
How To Detect Lightweight Pepper Berries
Hold a few peppercorns between your fingers and press them gently. Lightweight or poorly developed berries break easily, while mature peppercorns are comparatively firm and do not crush as readily.
Another test involves placing the peppercorns in rectified spirit. Mature berries sink, while lightweight berries float. Keep rectified spirit away from flames and children, and do not consume the tested sample.
How To Check Cloves
Cloves may be adulterated with “exhausted” cloves—those from which much of the essential oil has already been extracted.
Take a glass of water and drop a few cloves into it. Genuine cloves generally settle at the bottom, while exhausted cloves are likely to float on the surface.
How To Differentiate Cinnamon From Cassia
Place a small piece of cinnamon on a glass plate and examine it closely. True cinnamon has extremely thin, delicate layers and can often be rolled around a pencil or pen. It also carries a distinctive sweet aroma.
Cassia bark is usually thicker and rougher. On close inspection, several layers may be visible between its coarse outer surface and smoother inner layer.
These quick tests can help flag suspicious spices, but they are only preliminary checks. If a product has an unusual colour, smell, or taste—or you remain uncertain about its quality—avoid using it and report the concern to the relevant food safety authority.
Quick Answers
Ask News18To test black pepper for papaya seeds, add a small quantity to a glass of water. Genuine peppercorns will settle at the bottom, while papaya seeds, often used as adulterants, may float on the surface. You can also visually inspect them on white paper; black pepper is typically brown and wrinkled, while papaya seeds are oval, smoother, and may appear greenish-brown or blackish-brown with an unpleasant flavor.
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September 07, 2026, 21:30 IST
