Effectiveness of developed low cost adulteration kit towards consumer awareness and food adulteration

Food adulteration has emerged as an important global issue with international trade and public health hazards. In response to the increasing number of food borne illnesses. Consumer education is the process by which people learn the workings of the-marketplace so that they can improve their ability to act as purchasers or consumers of those products. The study was an interventional based study design that included a sample of 300. A pre-design and pre-tested questionnaire, evaluation and a low cost adulteration kit was used for the present study. The data was coded, tabulated and analysed using mean, SD, t-test, ANOVA, paired t-test, ÷2 test and correlation. Majority of consumers before intervention consumers had no knowledge about adulteration detection in fats, oils, sugar and jiggery through detection kit. But in post intervention phase more than 85.00% consumers had found to be had knowledge of adulteration detection through detection kit. After the intervention, majority of consumers had high scores for all the items. Maximum number of consumers with high score were observed for the item food marks (n=136; %). Following intervention for all the items majority of consumers had high level of awareness regarding adulteration. Maximum number of consumers with high level of awareness were observed for the item pulses (n=146; %) and minimum for the item fruits (n=124; %). After intervention, these scores ranged from 2.78±0.50 (pulses) to 2.85±0.40 (other food items). Thus following intervention a mean increase ranging from 1.77±0.52 (pulses) to 1.85±0.41 (cereals) was observed. For all the items mean change in awareness scores was significant statistically (p<0.001). The market is literally overflowing with the new products based in intricate technology. It is very difficult for the consumer to select one food item because of misleading advertisements, improper media emphasis and food adulteration. As a result of these malpractices, the ultimate victim is a consumer, who innocently takes adulterated foods and suffers. Thus it is very important to impart suck kit among consumers for knowledge enhancement.