Important Points
The Furfural and Baudouin tests are standard methods that were implemented by the labs to ensure the purity of ghee.
The adulteration of ghee with sesame oil is detected by the Furfural test, whereas the Baudouin test detects the presence of Vanaspati hydrogenated fat, refined vegetable oil, and animal fats in ghee.”
The presence of B-sitosterol in ghee denotes adulteration with vegetable fats. However, this method applies only to a selective bunch of vegetable oils, namely soybean, groundnut, coconut, and sunflower oil,”
Principle
Baudouin test:
This test is used to detect the presence of sesame oil.
Sesame oil gives a characteristic rose-red colour with concentrated hydrochloric acid and furfural solution.
Vanaspati ghee contains 5% sesame oil while pure desi ghee does not contain sesame oil. So this test can be applied to find out whether the given sample of desi ghee contains Vanaspati ghee or not.
Objective
Determination Of adulteration of sesame oil in ghee.
Reagents
Hydrochloric acid
Furfural solution: 2 percent solution of furfural, in ethanol.
Procedure
Take 5 ml of the melted ghee in 25 ml measuring cylinder provided with a glass stopper, and add 5 ml of hydrochloric acid and 0.4 ml of furfural solution. Insert the glass stopper and shake vigorously for 2 min. allow the mixture to separate.
The development of a pink or red colour in the acid layer indicates presence of sesame oil. Confirm by adding 5 ml of water and shaking again. If the colour in acid layer persists, sesame oil is present, if the colour disappears, it is absent.
Result
Development of pink or red colour in acidic layer depicts adulteration of sesame oil in ghee clear layer depicts pure ghee sample.
