Q.Give four examples of adulteration.

Adulteration is the act of debasing a pure product by adding an inferior, cheaper or injurious substance; it cheats the consumer on both quantity and quality. Four everyday examples are watered milk, grains mixed with grit, coffee mixed with chicory, and spices mixed with brick powder or starch.

In the Tamil Nadu HSC Class-12 Commerce syllabus, adulteration is studied as a major form of consumer exploitation. A trader adds a cheaper or harmful material to a genuine article so as to increase its bulk or weight and earn an unfair profit, while the buyer pays the full price believing the product to be pure. It harms the consumer's money as well as health.

Common examples students should be able to give:

• Milk — mixing water (and sometimes starch) to increase the volume.
• Foodgrains (rice, wheat, pulses) — mixing small stones, sand, dust or husk to add weight.
• Coffee powder — mixing chicory powder or roasted date seed powder. …