3 Ways to Spot Fake Desi Ghee at Home
Desi ghee has been a staple in Indian cuisine for years , loved for its rich aroma , rich golden colour and the warmth it lends to everything from dal to halwa. But as demand for 'pure' ghee has expanded , so has the market for contaminated ghee mixed with vegetable oils, animal fats or starch to increase volume and minimize prices. The tough aspect about fake ghee is that it often appears almost identical to the real stuff on the store.
The good news is you don’t need a lab to test what’s in your jar. You can undertake simple tests using a few things that you have in your home - your palm, a glass of water and a small iodine solution - to check whether your ghee is real or adulterated. This is how it is.
How to Identify Fake Ghee at Home?
1. The Palm Test
How: Place a spoonful of ghee in the center of your palm. Rub your hands together like you would rub lotion in.
-
Pure ghee has a low melting point and will melt nearly immediately when it reacts to the heat from your body.
-
Fake ghee usually leaves a sticky, waxy film , or takes way longer to melt . So it has hydrogenated fats or other fillers that don't act like natural milk fat.
This is one of the fastest checks you can perform and it takes just a few seconds.
2. The Water Test
How: Take a glass of room temperature or slightly warm water and add a teaspoon of ghee and see what happens.
-
The pure ghee remains separate from the water as a pristine floating layer, due to the fat composition.
-
Fake ghee will often sink straight to the bottom, or disperse and make the water look hazy or murky - a sign it’s been blended with other oils or fats that don’t behave like pure milk fat in water.
Give the ghee a minute or two in the water before judging it since some of the mixes take a little longer to reveal their real colour (literally)
3. The Iodine Test
How: Put a tiny amount of ghee into a bowl and pour a few drops of iodine solution (the kind found in most home first-aid kits) directly into it.
-
Even with the addition of iodine , the original golden yellow hue of pure ghee is retained.
-
The fake ghee turns blue-black or purple, a sure indication of starch or vegetable fats having been added. Iodine will react with starch in this precise manner.
This test is especially beneficial as starch is one of the more prevalent (and cheapest) adulterants to stretch out ghee.
How to Choose Pure Ghee While Buying?
- Carefully read the label. Search for “ 100% pure ghee ” instead of ambiguous words such as “vegetable ghee” or “ ghee blend ” Check the ingredients list for added oils or fats.
- Look for ghee churned in a Bilona. The traditional method of churning the curd by hand and then slowly cooking it into ghee usually retains more nutrients and is less likely to be contaminated with fillers since it is usually created in smaller , more controlled batches.
- Choose ghee from grass fed cows. Ghee from cows that roam freely tends to have a better nutrient profile , and a more natural taste and scent , than ghee from stall fed or professionally farmed cattle.
- Choose brands that have a verifiable source. Brands that are clear about the source of their milk , the process of ghee making and farmers , tend to have less chances (and less reason) of adulterating their product.
Final Word
FAQs
Will fake ghee make me sick ?
Ghee blended with poor quality vegetable oils or hydrogenated fats may not make you sick right away, but eating it daily will deprive you of the nourishment in real ghee and perhaps introduce less than healthy fats or carbs into your diet over the long term.
Can ghee pass one test but fail another ?
Yes, that's why it's best to do more than one test before coming to any conclusions. A mixture with a small amount of adulterant can pass the palm test but exhibit a colour shift in the iodine test , hence combining tests offers a more reliable result than using one test alone.
Is bilona ghee 100% pure ?
Ghee prepared in a bilona, churned by hand, is often a good sign that it is of a high grade as it is produced using a traditional method, although this does not always mean that the ghee will be of a high quality. It’s nevertheless worth checking the label and, where possible, doing a quick home test, especially with new or unknown products.
What is the best way to store ghee to maintain its purity and freshness for an extended period ?
Store ghee in a sealed glass or stainless steel container, away from sunlight and moisture. It should always be scooped out with a clean , dry spoon because any moisture or food particles can cause it to go bad faster , even if it was pure in the first place .
Is it possible for handmade ghee to be ‘fake’ or impure ?
Homemade ghee prepared from pure milk or cream is generally safe but quality still relies on the source of milk. Even home-made ghee would not be as pure if it is derived from milk which is already contaminated or churned using inferior cream.
