Adulteration Detection of Cow Ghee with Inferior Commodities

Abstract

Adulteration of cow's ghee with cheaper and easily available vegetable oils and animal fat became popular in commerce due to high demand. Amongst various testing methods, qualitative tests are cost-effective and the present study has selected suspected several market samples with original ghee prepared at the laboratory(S-01). Market samples were collected from central, southern, northern, and western provinces (S-02 to S-14). Modified Salkowski's reaction test was tested against those samples and observed the appearance of red colour. Pure ghee samples gave red colour because of the presence of cholesterol, whereas samples having plant steroids gave a reddish brown colour. Sample S-01, S-13, and S-14 gave red colour. From the results, it can be concluded that samples with an adulteration level of more than 5 % can be identified by using chromogenic tests as a cost effective identification of ghee. In contrast, the furfural test is specific for the detection of sesame oil in ghee. Ghee samples adulterated with sesame oil gave a crimson red colour and samples S-03, S-05, and S-07 gave positive results.