Do you know that the potatoes used in your kitchen can be fake? Some traders are selling fake potatoes by cooking and colouring them with chemicals, which can be very dangerous for your health. Recently, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) seized 21 quintals of fake potatoes in a major operation in Ballia.
How to identify fake potatoes
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has provided an easy way to identify fake potatoes. If you take a potato in your hand and crush it lightly and color starts coming out of it, then it may be fake. Apart from this, you can also check the potato by dipping it in water. If there is any fake color on the potato, it will wash off in water.
Disadvantages of potatoes cooked with chemicals
According to FSSAI, calcium carbide is used in chemically cooked potatoes, which contain arsenic and phosphorus. This chemical is extremely dangerous for health and can cause problems like vomiting, diarrhea, stomach irritation, and excessive thirst. Not only this, arsenic can also cause cancer if it remains in the body for a long time.
Potatoes dyed red
Reports have stated that fake potatoes are dyed red. This color is harmful to the body and is considered carcinogenic. Therefore, it is important to be cautious while buying potatoes and avoid potatoes with any unknown color or smell.
Keep these things in mind while buying potatoes
Wash the potatoes thoroughly.
Pay attention to the color and shape of the potatoes. Fake potatoes are often of a uniform size and color.
Cut the potato and see. The inside of the fake potato is often not white.
Smell the potato. Fake potatoes may have a strange smell.
Consume safe potatoes
Eating fake potatoes can cause serious damage to your health. Therefore, always be careful while buying potatoes and avoid eating potatoes if you have any doubts. You can also contact your local food safety authorities.