Holi 2026 Special: Are you also eating ‘poisonous’ mawa? Do these 5 easy tests at home, adulteration will be detected within minutes

News India Live, Digital Desk: Getting pure mawa has become a challenge during the festival season. Adulterants add flour, sweet potato, starch or at worst even casein and detergent. You can identify real mawa by the following methods:1. Rub it on the palm (The Palm Test). This is the easiest and immediate result method. How to do: Place a small piece of mawa on your palm and rub it with your thumb. Identification: If the mawa starts releasing ghee when rubbed and the smell of milk comes from it, then it is real. If it feels sticky or grains come out of it, then understand that it is adulterated.2. The Iodine Test: This test is most accurate to detect adulteration of ‘starch’ or ‘maida’ in mawa. How to do: Dissolve some mawa in hot water and when it cools down, add 2-3 drops of iodine solution. Identification: If the color of mawa turns blue, it means that a large amount of starch or boiled potatoes has been added to it. The color of the original mawa will not change.3. Taste by chewing (The Taste Test) The taste of real mawa is always mildly sweet and creamy. Identification: Try putting a small piece of mawa in your mouth. If it sticks to the teeth, it is bad or adulterated. Real mawa will start dissolving as soon as it is in the mouth and its taste will be like milk.4. Identification by smell (The Smell Test) Identification: Smell the mow. If it smells pungent like detergent, urea or any chemical, throw it away immediately. Real mawa has the pleasant aroma of pure khoya and fresh milk.5. Boil it with sugar (The Sugar Test) How to do: Mix some sugar in some mawa and heat it in a vessel. Identification: If the mawa starts releasing water when heated or it starts stretching like rubber, then it is fake. Real mawa will mix with sugar to form a uniform thick mixture. Caution: Disadvantages of adulterated mawa: Eating adulterated mawa can cause food poisoning, stomach ache, vomiting and serious kidney and liver diseases if consumed for a long time. Therefore always buy from a trusted dairy or shop.