adulteration
gb/ədˌʌltɚˈeɪʃən/ us/ədˌʌltɚˈeɪʃən/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
process
1
Making something impure
making a product less pure or less safe by mixing in something that should not be there
Usage pattern:
adulteration of [something] with [something]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse adulteration with adultery; the words look similar but have different meanings. The added substance is usually called an adulterant, not an adulteration.
Synonyms
contamination (broader; can be accidental and does not always involve fraud or lowering quality)
|
tampering (emphasizes unauthorized interference with a product)
|
dilution (narrower; usually means weakening something by adding liquid or a cheaper material)
Antonyms
purification (the process of removing impurities rather than adding them)
|
quality control (procedures intended to prevent defects, contamination, or adulteration)
Collocations
food adulteration
|milk adulteration
|olive oil adulteration
|drug adulteration
|product adulteration
|intentional adulteration
|deliberate adulteration
|prevent adulteration
|adulteration with water
|adulteration with cheaper ingredients
Themes
food_safety
|consumer_goods
|health
|manufacturing
Examples
- Inspectors found evidence of honey adulteration with cheap corn syrup.
- Strict testing is used to prevent adulteration of medicines during manufacturing.
- The company was fined for the adulteration of olive oil with lower-grade oils.
Learner examples
- Food adulteration can make people sick.
- The lab checks milk for adulteration.
Noun
formal
C1
state
2
Presence of added impurities
a sign that a product is not pure because something has been added to it
Usage pattern:
adulteration in [something]; evidence of adulteration
Common mistake:
Adulteration is usually uncountable in this sense; say “evidence of adulteration” rather than “an adulteration” in most everyday contexts.
Synonyms
impurity (usually refers to the unwanted material itself or its presence)
|
contamination (broader and often used when a product is made unsafe accidentally)
|
taint (suggests a trace of something that spoils purity, taste, or reputation)
Antonyms
purity (the state of containing no unwanted added substances)
|
authenticity (the state of being genuine rather than mixed with substitutes)
|
integrity (the state of being whole, unaltered, and not compromised)
Collocations
detect adulteration
|evidence of adulteration
|signs of adulteration
|level of adulteration
|degree of adulteration
|test for adulteration
|free from adulteration
|adulteration in samples
Themes
testing
|food_safety
|consumer_protection
|health
Examples
- The lab detected adulteration in several samples of imported spices.
- High levels of adulteration made the batch unsafe to sell.
- New testing methods can reveal adulteration in products that look normal to consumers.
Learner examples
- The report showed adulteration in the oil.
- Pure products show no adulteration.
Grammar
Dictionary form
adulteration
IPA
GB/ədˌʌltɚˈeɪʃən/
US/ədˌʌltɚˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
adul - ter - a - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (a)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: adulteration
- Plural: adulteration, adulterations
Expressions
economically motivated adulteration
1/ˌɛkənˈɑmɪkli mˈoʊtəvˌeɪtɪd ədˌʌltɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
Profit-driven adulteration
mixing in cheaper material and selling the product as if it were genuine in order to make more money
Examples
- Diluting honey with syrup is a common example of economically motivated adulteration.
- The report focused on economically motivated adulteration in the global spice trade.
- Testing programs help companies detect economically motivated adulteration before products reach consumers.
food adulteration
1/fˈud ədˌʌltɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
Impuring food products
making food less pure or less safe by adding something that should not be in it
Examples
- Food adulteration is a serious problem in markets where testing is weak.
- The agency introduced new rules to reduce food adulteration.
- Common forms of food adulteration include watering down milk and adding cheaper oils to olive oil.
intentional adulteration
1/ɪntˈɛnʃənəl ədˌʌltɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
Deliberate product adulteration
deliberately making a product unsafe or impure by adding something wrong to it
Examples
- The company updated its security plan to guard against intentional adulteration.
- Investigators considered whether the contamination was accidental or a case of intentional adulteration.
- Food manufacturers must identify points in the supply chain that are vulnerable to intentional adulteration.