Beware: The Roadside ‘Golgappas’ Contains 'Sulphuric Acid' To Add Spice & Taste Along with Other Chaat Masala!

By Swati Reddy | INN Live

Golgappe, a unanimous choice for people of India, may not have many takers given the shocking revelations. An inspection of the roadside vendors of ‘golgappe’ revealed that the vendors add acid to the water to make it spicier to enable people to achieve that taste they long for while stopping at a roadside stall.

The dish itself brings back a lot of memories; all of them associated with family and friends but few know that the stall owners mix acid in the water in lieu of spices to earn more profit. A probe by INN Live revealed that other than use of tamarind, peppermint, alum, and other spices, the stall owners also mix acid to lend a tangy and piquant taste to the water in addition to the sweet, spicy, sour taste.
Initially the stall owners had denied mixing any kind of acid in the water that comes with the golgappe but after being promised of their names being withheld from news reports, they agreed to divulge details of how the whole coloured water was prepared for which the people wait impatiently. 

The acid mixed with the water increases the taste without any additional cost incurred. They disclosed that Sulphuric acid changes the colour of the water, containing tamarind paste, from red to blue so they mix the acid in the green coloured water containing peppermint and alum. The acid mixed makes the colour of the water darker and thicker in concentration.

The matter came into light when a woman fell unconscious after eating golgappe at a stall in Shivaji Nagar colony in Ludhiana. The woman later complained of throat burns and feeling of uneasiness.

A detailed investigation by INN Live revealed due to the rising cost of spices the stall owners resorted to mixing acid in the water to bring down expenses of making golgappe, which is considered as the  most favourite chaat items.

Meanwhile, RK Karkara, Senior Medical Officer of Civil Hospital disclosed that the acid destroys the cells in our body. People complain of chest pain, throat burns, and food poisoning after consuming food that contains acid.