For 65-year-old Anita Thakur, kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour) is a must during Navratri, when her family fasts. She makes tasty puris, tikkis, and halwa with it.

To make her puris extra crispy, she mixes kuttu with singhare ka atta (water chestnut flour), since singhare alone doesn't give the same crispiness.

Kuttu ka atta is a favorite fasting food, especially in and around Delhi. In other places, singhare ka atta is more popular. People love kuttu because it's not a cereal, and cereals are avoided during fasts. It's made from the seed of a flowering plant.

But every year, many people fall sick during Navratri after eating food made with old or adulterated kuttu atta. In Sonipat, 350 people were recently hospitalized, and cases were reported in Modinagar too, due to food poisoning. Doctors blame spoiled or fake flour.

Experts say kuttu atta is safe if it's fresh and stored well. Its shelf life is just 2–3 months and it should be kept away from sunlight and moisture. Old or fake flour may look gray or green and doesn't knead well.

Stay safe, buy fresh flour!