Buying jaggery? This simple FSSAI approved home test can help check its purity easily
Jaggery can be adulterated with inexpensive substances to alter its appearance or increase its weight. Baking soda is among the adulterants identified in FSSAI's consumer-awareness material.
- Aug 14, 2026,
- Updated Aug 14, 2026 2:48 PM IST
Jaggery is a staple in Indian kitchens, used in everything from traditional sweets and festive dishes to beverages and everyday cooking. But the natural sweetener can also be vulnerable to adulteration, with cheaper substances sometimes added to alter its colour, texture, appearance or weight.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has highlighted a simple test that can help consumers detect one common adulterant — baking soda — in jaggery. The regulator has an extensive consumer-awareness programme on detecting food adulteration at home, including specific tests for jaggery.
How to check jaggery for baking soda
The FSSAI test involves a small quantity of crushed jaggery and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
Take about one-fourth teaspoon of crushed jaggery in a small glass or test tube. Add around 3 ml of hydrochloric acid and observe the reaction.
If bubbles or fizzing appear, it can indicate the presence of baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, in the jaggery. If there is no bubbling, the sample does not show this particular reaction.
The reason is straightforward chemistry: sodium bicarbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid and releases carbon dioxide gas, producing visible bubbles.
Why is baking soda added to jaggery?
Jaggery can be adulterated with inexpensive substances to alter its appearance or increase its weight. Baking soda is among the adulterants identified in FSSAI's consumer-awareness material. The regulator also lists separate tests for detecting other forms of adulteration in jaggery.
A smoother or more attractive-looking block, therefore, should not automatically be taken as a sign of better quality.
A home test is only a first check
There is an important caveat: a DIY test cannot establish that a piece of jaggery is completely pure.
Laboratory testing uses controlled procedures to determine various quality and adulteration parameters in jaggery. A home test can help flag a possible problem, but it cannot detect every form of adulteration or replace laboratory analysis.
Consumers who suspect that a food product is adulterated can approach food-safety authorities or use appropriate food-testing facilities.
When buying jaggery, consumers should pay attention to the product's packaging and source, particularly for packaged products. Checking FSSAI licence details and buying from reliable sellers can reduce the risk of purchasing questionable products.
Jaggery is a staple in Indian kitchens, used in everything from traditional sweets and festive dishes to beverages and everyday cooking. But the natural sweetener can also be vulnerable to adulteration, with cheaper substances sometimes added to alter its colour, texture, appearance or weight.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has highlighted a simple test that can help consumers detect one common adulterant — baking soda — in jaggery. The regulator has an extensive consumer-awareness programme on detecting food adulteration at home, including specific tests for jaggery.
How to check jaggery for baking soda
The FSSAI test involves a small quantity of crushed jaggery and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
Take about one-fourth teaspoon of crushed jaggery in a small glass or test tube. Add around 3 ml of hydrochloric acid and observe the reaction.
If bubbles or fizzing appear, it can indicate the presence of baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, in the jaggery. If there is no bubbling, the sample does not show this particular reaction.
The reason is straightforward chemistry: sodium bicarbonate reacts with hydrochloric acid and releases carbon dioxide gas, producing visible bubbles.
Why is baking soda added to jaggery?
Jaggery can be adulterated with inexpensive substances to alter its appearance or increase its weight. Baking soda is among the adulterants identified in FSSAI's consumer-awareness material. The regulator also lists separate tests for detecting other forms of adulteration in jaggery.
A smoother or more attractive-looking block, therefore, should not automatically be taken as a sign of better quality.
A home test is only a first check
There is an important caveat: a DIY test cannot establish that a piece of jaggery is completely pure.
Laboratory testing uses controlled procedures to determine various quality and adulteration parameters in jaggery. A home test can help flag a possible problem, but it cannot detect every form of adulteration or replace laboratory analysis.
Consumers who suspect that a food product is adulterated can approach food-safety authorities or use appropriate food-testing facilities.
When buying jaggery, consumers should pay attention to the product's packaging and source, particularly for packaged products. Checking FSSAI licence details and buying from reliable sellers can reduce the risk of purchasing questionable products.