adulterate

Adulterate is a verb meaning to corrupt or degrade something by adding another substance, typically one that is inferior, unsafe, or unintended. Adulteration refers to the act itself, while an adulterant is the substance added. The practice is widely discussed in relation to food, medicines, cosmetics, fuels, and other consumer products, with the aim of reducing costs, extending quantity, or deceiving buyers. Adulterated products may fail to meet safety or quality standards and can pose health risks.

Etymology: from Latin adulterare, from ad- "toward" plus alterare "to alter."

Common contexts and examples: In food, adding water to milk or mixing lower-grade ingredients to raise apparent volume; in pharmaceuticals, adding inert fillers, or worse, toxic substances, to increase profit or misrepresent strength; in cosmetics, diluting or contaminating; in fuels, introducing impurities to cheat performance.

Regulation and detection: Across many jurisdictions adulteration is illegal and subject to penalties. In the United States, the FDA enforces laws against adulterated foods and drugs; in the EU, safety directives apply. Enforcement may lead to recalls, fines, and criminal charges. Detection methods include laboratory analyses such as chromatography, spectroscopy, and chemical assays, used to verify composition and purity. Preventive measures include good manufacturing practices, supplier verification, traceability, and routine quality-control testing.

---