Stories
Shocking Truth About Chemical Jaggery Exposed By Artisans
- •A viral video reveals that harmful chemicals like hydro sodium sulfate powder are mixed in jaggery to make it shiny and attractive.
- •Artisan Mansharam, with 40 years of experience, stated that consumers demand clean and bright jaggery, forcing makers to add chemicals despite financial losses.
- •Natural pure jaggery has a darker, less clear color, whereas white and shiny jaggery in the market contains chemical additives.
- •Chemical-laden jaggery is often sold on streets and carts, mistakenly perceived by city dwellers as pure farmer-made produce.
- •Farmers keep chemical-free jaggery strictly for their personal consumption while manufacturing the adulterated version for the market.
Key Questions Answered
Chemicals like hydro sodium sulfate powder, locally known as masala papri, are added to the pan during jaggery making to enhance its color and make it look clean, shiny, and heavy to meet consumer demands. Naturally prepared jaggery is not as clear in color, but because city buyers and people demanding street-sold jaggery prefer bright and shiny blocks, makers are forced to use these additives.
You can test jaggery purity at home by placing about two grams of crushed jaggery into a test tube and adding a little hydrochloric acid. If the jaggery is pure, nothing happens and no bubbles appear, whereas adulterants like baking soda or washing powder react with the acid to produce carbon dioxide gas and create visible bubbles.
No, farmers and artisans do not receive any financial benefit from adding chemicals to jaggery, and instead they actually suffer losses. They are forced to purchase these chemical powders out of market pressure because urban buyers mistakenly demand clear, shiny jaggery.
