CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, has developed a simple, rapid and user-friendly Chloral Hydrate Test Kit (CHT-KIT) for on-the-spot detection of chloral hydrate adulteration in Toddy. The technology has been commercially transferred to the Authentic Chemicals and Research Centre (ACRC-TEM), Tembhurni, for production and supply.

Toddy is a naturally fermented drink derived from Toddy trees and sold through government-approved outlets. It typically contains 5–6% ethyl alcohol along with healthy, natural, beneficial constituents. The Government of Maharashtra constituted a committee comprising excise officials, Toddy suppliers, CSIR-NCL scientists and experts to examine quality concerns. The studies indicated large-scale adulteration of Toddy with chloral hydrate, a chemical which causes a sedative effect and rapid dependency, and whose marketing is banned in India. The studies further showed dangerous levels of chloral hydrate concentrations in toddy samples.

Once consumed, chloral hydrate converts into trichloroethanol, a powerful CNS depressant, and trichloroacetic acid, a corrosive compound. These chemicals are associated with adverse health effects, including rashes, vomiting, gastric issues, ulcers, organ damage and coma. All three compounds — chloral hydrate, trichloroethanol and trichloroacetic acid — are known carcinogens.

Current testing procedures require excise officers to carry multiple instruments or send preserved samples for laboratory analysis, which raises practical challenges and delays. To address this, CSIR-NCL scientists conducted extensive experimentation and developed the CHT-KIT, which provides a quick field-level test.

The CHT-KIT contains a defined mixture of reagents that instantly produce a pink colour when a Toddy sample containing chloral hydrate (≥10 mg/L) is added. The absence of pink colour confirms that the sample is free of chloral hydrate adulteration. The kit’s performance has been validated and approved by the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Government of Maharashtra.

CSIR-NCL has demonstrated the kit to the Excise Department officials of the Government of Maharashtra. The know-how has been officially transferred to ACRC-TEM for production and supply. CSIR-NCL’s CHT-KIT is a unique and efficient colour-based solution that supports quick detection of harmful chloral hydrate adulteration in Toddy, ensuring public health and safety.