Identification of adulterants in turmeric powder using terahertz spectroscopy

Abstract

Turmeric is a common spice used as a vital ingredient in Ayurvedic medicines and food. Adulteration of turmeric with chalk powder causes severe health problems in humans. Conventional methods of identifying adulterants via chemical reactions are inaccurate. Here, we use Terahertz spectroscopy to effectively identify adulteration of turmeric with chalk powder. This method shows good potential for non-intrusive detection of adulterated spices and foods in packages.