Science behind FSSAI standards for testing spurious ghee
A dramatic food-fraud case has been unearthed involving the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and a supplier dairy. Between 2019 and 2024, the Bhole Baba Organic Dairy of Uttarakhand — led by promoters Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain — supplied around 68 lakh kg of ghee, valued at approximately ₹250 crore, to TTD despite never procuring any real milk or butter.
The dairy allegedly manufactured synthetic ghee using cheap oils such as palm oil and palm kernel oil, plus chemicals like mono-/diglycerides, acetic acid ester, lactic acid, β-carotene and artificial ghee essence to mimic the colour, flavour and texture of real ghee.
[embed]https://youtu.be/fzd8LAgNVJo[/embed]To bypass standard tests (e.g., the Reichert-Miessl value check used for ghee adulteration), they allegedly added acetic acid esters to boost the RM value and thereby trick quality-control labs.
In our Youtube feature we covered it on 21 Sep 2024 and told that science must be the basis of accussing and not sentiments. Today when the report is out s we have prepared another feature on the same for the benefit of our viewers.
The feature covers excerpts from the earlier video and our expert Dr Kishore Aparnathi retired HOD Dairy Chemistry from SMC College of Dairy Science Anand explaining the science behind testing of spurious ghee as per FSSAI standard and latest methods like GCMS for Triglycerides. He also explains how the reports may be read an evaluated.
Why this matters for the dairy sector:
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It exposes major vulnerabilities in the supply-chain of dairy fat products, especially in religious or large-scale institutions.
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It underlines the need for tougher oversight, testing protocols and traceability — key areas for labs such as yours.
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For dairy entrepreneurs and processors, it’s a warning: even bulk packaged commodities like ghee must be strictly audited and must meet true raw-material provenance requirements.
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From a communications angle: when such scandals surface, trust in dairy brands and value-chains gets shaken — creating a demand for credible lab testing services and transparent supply-chains.