Forensic examination of the spurious health drinks: Glucose

Manufacturing and marketing of the spurious health drink by either imitating or copying the original Glucon D, Glucose D and Glucon C (dextrose monohydrate) are commonly encountered in the Indian drug market. Such cases are registered under Section 420 IPC (Indian Penal Code) r/w 63 copyright act. Authors have successfully carried out the identification and quantitation of the contents of spurious health drinks in actual cases received in the laboratory. The questioned samples were thoroughly analysed by chemical and instrumental methods1 and 2 such as solubility, pH, presumptive colour tests, and identification of dextrose monohydrate, citric acid, cations and anions (calcium, chloride, phosphate and sulphate), and percentage purity1 of dextrose monohydrate by digital polarimeter. The results were compared with the results obtained with standard reference materials (SRMs) and pure dextrose standard EXCELAR grade as well as genuine samples. The study of the extraneous materials present in these samples was done by further chemical and instrumental analyses by which it was revealed that saccharin and starch were used for manufacturing these spurious products.