Analysis of menthol content in Pan Masala samples collected from the stateof Uttar Pradesh

Citation
A. Kannan et al., Analysis of menthol content in Pan Masala samples collected from the stateof Uttar Pradesh, J FD SCI M, 38(4), 2001, pp. 339-342
Citations number
21
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Food Science/Nutrition
Journal title
JOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY-MYSORE
ISSN journal
0022-1155 → ACNP
Volume
38
Issue
4
Year of publication
2001
Pages
339 - 342
Database
ISI
SICI code
0022-1155(200107/08)38:4<339:AOMCIP>2.0.ZU;2-J
Abstract
According to Prevention of Food Adulteration Act of India, 0.1% of menthol in Pan Masala (PM) samples is permitted. Pan Masala is a mixture of arecanu t, catechu, lime, cardamom and unspecified flavouring agents with or withou t tobacco. It is being consumed as a substitute for betel quid. Among 622 s amples collected from the State of Uttar Pradesh, Ind a, only 9.32 % sample s showed the level of menthol below 0.1 %. Almost 89 % of sada and 94 % of zarda PM samples exceeded the permissible limits of menthol. In village and city markets, almost 89 and 93 % PM samples showed higher levels of mentho l than the PFA limits, respectively. Only 3.3 and 15.4 % of packed and non- packed PM samples were within the permissible limits, respectively. Samples collected from one district of the State showed menthol within the permiss ible limit, while those collected from remaining 62 districts showed the av erage values above 0.1 %. The study showed that 6 brands of PM contained me nthol within the permissible limit, while the remaining 44 brands exceeded the prescribed limits of menthol. It was suggested that Goods Manufacturing Practices should be adopted by those manufacturers whose products had the menthol concentration, exceeding the permissible limit. Menthol content was found to be more than 0.1 % in samples drawn from 5 zones of the State.