FSSAI has notified a new method of detection of adulteration in ghee (clarified milk fat) with vegetable oils. The new method of ghee and oil testing comes with immediate effect. The test method is also applicable to four vegetable oils, viz. soybean oil, groundnut oil, coconut oil and sunflower oil.
The new method is much simpler and easy to follow, as it is based on the detection of cholesterol and ß-sitosterol as markers in the unsaponifiable matter (USM) of pure ghee and adulteration ghee samples. The presence of ß-sitosterol in ghee denotes adulteration with vegetable fats.
It may be noted that, earlier traditional methods were practiced by testing laboratories across India which were kit based which showed different colors based on adulterant. Sometimes the result were ambiguous.
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