Eat Healthy: Check If Your Green Veggies Are Malachite Free

Who doesn't want to eat fresh, nutritious vegetables? When we go to the store, we always look for fresh green veggies among the many options. We even buy branded vegetables now and again, but do we really have to consume healthy vegetables? This is a crucial inquiry.

We frequently hear reports that numerous chemicals are being put into meals; for example, bleaching powder has been detected in milk, and colour additives have been used to make vegetables seem fresh.

So, if you just purchased some healthy veggies to prepare a nutritious lunch for yourself and are now wondering how to tell if any chemicals have been added or not, read on. Don't worry, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has shared with us a very simple technique for detecting the malachite green chemical in green veggies.

Today, we'll simply talk about malachite green, a colour that imitates the natural colour of green vegetables.

Let's learn, what malachite green actually is?

Malachite green is an organic chloride salt that is a kind of monochloride salt. It is often used as a green-colored colorant, as a counter color, and it is also used in aquaculture for its anti-fungal properties. It is mainly used in aquaculture as a parasiticide. It is also used in food, health, textile, and other industries for various purposes.  It plays a role as a fluorochrome, a histological dye, an antifungal drug, a toxic agent, a teratogenic agent, an environmental chemical, and an antibacterial agent. It contains a malachite green ion. Malachite green is often used in vegetables like- chilies, peas, spinach, lady’s finger, etc.

why and how dangerous malachite green is?

So, what are your options? It appears to be a natural vegetable hue, and it does help the veggies appear fresher, but it is a quiet murderer. How can we stay away from them? Let's have a look at what the FSSAI told us about detecting malachite green in our everyday veggies.

There are only four steps to follow:

Step 1: Soak a cotton swab in liquid paraffin for a few minutes.

Step 2 – Rub the outside portion of a green vegetable, such as chile or a lady's finger, with that paraffin-soaked cotton.

Step 3 – If the cotton appears to be becoming green, be aware that malachite green is present.

Step 4 - If you don't see any colour change, eat your nutritious, fresh vegetables.

So, now that you know how to recognise malachite green, be aware of it and eat properly to stay healthy.