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Amid growing concerns about adulteration and chemical use in jaggery, it is important to know how to identify jaggery prepared through biological and chemical processes. It is important for your health to choose pure and organically made jaggery.
The color of chemically prepared jaggery is often very light yellow or bright golden, because chemicals like sulfur dioxide are used to purify it. The color of organic jaggery can range from dark brown to dark black-brown and it has less shine, which shows that it is natural.
Organically prepared jaggery is often slightly soft and sticky, which when broken does not break easily but looks like broken layers. Chemical jaggery is usually very hard and crystal like, which shatters easily when broken. Chemical treatment gives it a uniform and tough appearance.
The taste of pure and organic jaggery is intense and complex, with the flavor of the natural minerals and iron of the sugarcane. Chemical jaggery has more sweetness, but the taste is uniform and less aromatic. Sometimes it may also taste salty or bitter.
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When you dissolve a small piece in water, organic jaggery dissolves completely and does not leave any sediment or residue at the bottom of the water. Chemically prepared jaggery often leaves a white or ash-like sediment at the bottom when dissolved in water. This residue could be lime or other chemicals used to clean the jaggery.
The production process of organic jaggery is time consuming and labor intensive, as it does not use chemical cleansing agents. For this reason, the price of organic jaggery is usually higher than chemically prepared jaggery. It is natural to be suspicious of very cheap or easily available highly shiny jaggery.
People who like purity should always buy jaggery from a trusted place. If possible, give preference to jaggery with organic certification. Check the ingredients list on the label; organic jaggery should only say “sugarcane juice” or “sugarcane jaggery”, while chemical jaggery may contain “hydrous”, “lime” or other chemicals.
