Optimization of sesamin test to detect adulteration of ghee with vanaspati and effect of storage on the efficacy of Baudouin test and optimized sesamin test

Abstract

Adulteration of milk fat especially ghee with vanaspati (partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) is still a very common practice being followed by fraudulent traders, especially during lean season. Baudouin test has been recognized as a tool to check this type of adulteration. Baudouin test results are sometime subjective and difficult to interpret the color developed in the adulterated samples. In the present investigation, one alternative test i.e. sesamin test has been optimized to check the addition of vanaspati to pure ghee. The optimized test has the minimum level of detection i.e. 10% which is similar to the Baudouin test. However, the color distinction in the adulterated and non-adulterated ghee samples by optimized sesamin test is more effective and seems to be foolproof with negligible chances of false negative or false positive results, unlike Baudouin test. Both sesamin and Baudouin tests are not affected adversely by the developed oxidative rancidity, addition of BHA and type of packaging material. Therefore, sesamin test has been found to be an alternative to the existing Baudouin test.