CHILLI POWDER THAT YOU USE NATURALLY RED AND SPICY?

IS THE BRAND OF CHILLI POWDER THAT YOU USE

NATURALLY RED AND SPICY?

1.   Are all branded chilli powders  naturally red & naturally  hot?

2.   Is the red COLOUR due to a synthetic dye or any other additive?

3.   How does the pungency of chilli powder vary from region to region ?

It adds a lovely red colour and sharp flavour to dishes.  However it should be used in moderation.

20 different branded  and unbranded chilli powders were tested  in a NABL certified laboratory.

What is chilli powder?

Chilli was discovered by Christopher Columbus when he landed in South America. He introduced Chilli to the rest of the world. India got its first taste of this pungent spice in 1498 through Vasco-da-Gama.

Chilli powder (also called powdered Chilli) is the dried, powdered fruit of one or more varieties of the Chilli pepper, It is used as a spice to add pungency or piquancy and flavor to dishes.

Myths about chillies:

Unlike, the general belief that Chilli is bad for stomach, Chillies have many beneficial values. Chilli is good for digestion and has been used in Indian ayurvedic medicines to cure diseases. When eaten, you will experience sweating, runny nose, breathlessness and hiccups.

When you take Chilli, the capsaicin present in the Chilli makes the brain produce endorphins, which are natural painkillers.

Chilli Powder industry in India

Today, India has become world’s largest producer and exporter of Chilli, exporting to USA, Canada, UK, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Germany and many countries across the world. It contributes 25% of world’s total production of Chilli.

Majority of Chillies grown in India is cultivated in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu ,Orissa and North –East India.

Varieties of Chilli Powder

Some Chilli powders contain only a specific species of powdered Chilli pepper, but many commercial blends contain mixtures of several peppers, along with complementary spices. Chilli powder may be classified by heat level, such as mild, medium, hot, or super hot.

Purity and quality of chilli powder

The specifications for chilli powder under FS&S Regulation 2011 are laid down based on the minimum requirement to keep the product safe for consumer use.

A.  Compulsory packing for  spices powders

To minimize the loss of the above qualities and to get the best benefits by the consumers they are specified to be sold only in sealed packets as per FSS regulations 2011.

B.   Higher Moisture

Higher the moisture level of the product, of mold, fungus or bacteria or by infestation with insects. Growth of fungus may have some unsafe toxins. Hence the aflatoxin level has been fixed as 30 ppb maximum.

C.   Common Adulterants in Chilli powder

Adulteration of Chilli powder with brick powder Such adulteration could be felt by the presence of gritty matter during consumption of food also.

D.  Addition of foreign colours

Spices being one of the costlier products,  starches, edible flours etc. May reduce  the colour with oil soluble colours like Sudan I, II, III, IV are preferred. The diminishing appearance may also be due to  grinding of Chilli powder with more stalks, calyx or even due to exposure to unfavorable climatic condition   and storing  the chilli pods for a longer duration to fetch a higher price. Sudan dyes are normally used to colour petroleum products and waxes.

E.   Addition of Vegetable Oil

Addition of edible vegetable oils up to 2% level is permitted in chilli powder to retain its natural colour and pungency. 

Such addition has to be declared on the label. Vegetable oils are sometimes replaced with mineral oil which may be carcinogenic 

F.   Grading of Chilli powder.

Agmark certification process. They are special grade and standard  grades.

What is Scoville index

Scoville index is the greatest dilution i.e. the dilution factor at which the characteristic pungent sensation from chillies is perceived under the test conditions. When tested in accordance with the method given in IS 8104, the Scoville Index in chillies, whole and ground (powdered) shall be not less than 24000.  

Brands Tested from the 4 states

Kerala...

1.   Kitchen Treasures

2.   Nirapara (Kashmiri chilli powder)

3.   Double Horse

4.   Melam

5.   Agro food & spices

Tamil Nadu...

1.   Sakthi

2.   Aachi

3.   MDH (DEGGI MIRCHI)

4.   Raavanan

5.   777

Karnataka..

1.   MTR      

2.   Eastern

3.   Golden Harvest     

4.   Everest Tikhalal                

5.   Total Super store

Andhra Pradesh...

1.   Three Mango

2.   Langer

3.   Dharanikota

Telangana..

1.   Aashirvaad

2.   Anand

Group A overall opinion about Chilli Powder

1.   39% of consumers look for Best before date followed by 27% who prefer to see manufacturing date.

2.   75% of people purchase chilli powder by brand name only.

3.   41% purchase 100g packs whereas 23% go to for 50g pack.

4.   78% have said that they used to grind dry chillies for their use. But this reply is contrary to the previous opinion, probably if they happened to purchase they would go behind brands.

5.   40% have said that they have come across synthetic colour and 14% brick powder. This replay is also not acceptable as it is not easy to identify synthetic colour visually.

6.   69% of respondents have not heard of Kashmiri chillies.

7.   34% have accepted their ignorance about quality certificate.

8.   As far as chilli powder is concerned one third of them give importance to colour and others go for its hot taste.

9.   Except 20% the rest go and complain to shop keeper on quality deficiency.

10.                Similarly 81% use chillies mainly for their taste.

  

Comparative test results on Chili powder..!

Comparative test results on Chili powder

	Kerala
Chilli Powder	Kitchen treasures		Nirapara (Kashmiri chilly powder)	Double Horse		Melam		Agro food & spices
	Rating		Rating	Rating		Rating		Rating
Packaging & Labelling	Good		Fair	Good		Good		Poor
Health & Saftey	Good		Good	Good		Fair		Fair
Quality	Good		Good	Fair		Fair		Good
MRP (in Rs)	Rs 15.50/100g		Rs 23/100g	Rs 17/100g		Rs 16.5/100g		Rs 83/500g
	Tamilnadu
	Sakthi	Aachi		MDH (DEGGI MIRCHI)	Raavanan			777
	Rating	Rating		Rating	Rating			Rating
Packaging & Labelling	V.Good	Fair		V.Good	Fair			Fair
Health & Saftey	Good	Good		Good	Good			Fair
Quality	Good	V.Good		V.Good	V.Good			Good
MRP (in Rs)	Rs 28/100g	Rs 26/100g		Rs 47/100g	Rs 12/50g			Rs 24/100g
	Karnataka
	MTR	Eastern		Golden Harvest	Everest Tikhalal			Total Super store
	Rating	Rating		Rating	Rating		Rating
Packaging & Labelling	Fair	Good		Good	V.Good		Good
Health & Saftey	Good	Fair		Good	Good		Good
Quality	Fair	Fair		Fair	Good		Good
MRP (in Rs)	Rs 25/100g	Rs 23/100g		Rs 22/100g	Rs 26/100g		Rs 50/200g
	Andhra Pradesh				Telangana
	Three Mango	Langer		Dharanikota	Aashirvaad		Anand
	Rating	Rating		Rating	Rating		Rating
Packaging & Labelling	Fair	Fair		Poor	Fair		Fair
Health & Saftey	Good	Good		Fair	V.Good		V.Good
Quality	Fair	V.Good		V.Good	Good		V.Good
MRP (in Rs)	Rs 60/200g	Rs 44/200g		Rs 44/200g	Rs 46/200g		Rs 52/200g

For More details

Mr. M. Somasundaram

CONCERT Trust

(A Centre for Consumer Education, Research, Teaching, Training and Testing)

3/242, Rajendra Garden,

Vettuvankeni,Chennai- 600 115

Tel: 044 2449 4575 / 76 / 77

Email: somumeena@ymail.com

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