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Wheat flour is an indispensable staple in almost every Indian household, serving as the foundation for chapatis, rotis, naan and countless sweet treats which makes it an integral part of India's culinary heritage. Checking the purity of wheat flour is crucial for our health and overall well-being. As a staple ingredient in many foods, wheat flour's quality directly impacts our daily nutrition. Adulterated flour can contain harmful substances like chalk, sand or chemical additives, posing serious health risks.

Its impure consumption can lead to digestive issues, allergies and even long-term conditions like kidney damage or cancer. Ensuring wheat flour's purity safeguards health, prevents foodborne illnesses and guarantees wholesome nutrition. Let's look at some simple yet effective methods that you can try to identify adulterated wheat flour at home.

Methods To Check Impure Wheat Flour

Lemon Test

The lemon test detects impure wheat flour by forming bubbles in adulterated samples. Mix equal parts of lemon juice and wheat flour, bubbles indicate the presence of additives like chalk, sand or metal oxides. These impurities react with citric acid in lemon juice, releasing carbon dioxide gas and forming bubbles while genuine flour remains bubble-free.

Water Test

One of the simplest ways to identify impure wheat flour is with just a glass of water. Mix one teaspoon of flour with one glass of water. Impure flour forms a cloudy, milky solution or settles unevenly, indicating additives with excess bran. Pure flour dissolves clearly, leaving no sediment. This simple chemical-free test is easy to try at home.

wheat flour

Ways to check if your wheat flour is pure (Image Credits: Canva)

Taste Test

Taste a small flour sample. Pure flour is neutral and tasteless while impure flour has a distinct bitter or metallic flavour, signaling harmful additives. Your taste buds can also aid in recognising harmful wheat flour.

Physical Test

Pure flour has a uniform, smooth and creamy texture. Impure flour feels rough and gritty with uneven colouration or lumps. Thus, by simply feeling and checking its physical appearance, you can easily identify the impure wheat flour.

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