Good ghee carries a character of its own, clear, golden, and nutty, with a richness that feels unmistakable. What you don’t want is a jar bulked up with starch or thinned by cheaper oils. The worry is real, but the solution doesn’t demand a lab coat or fancy tools. With a few basics from your kitchen shelf and a single pharmacy staple, you can check purity yourself. Scroll down for three simple ways to do it...
Step 1 - The chill check (screens for mixed oils)
What you need: A clean teaspoon, a small glass bowl, your fridge or freezer.
Melt a spoon of ghee gently if it’s solid, then pour into the bowl. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes (or 45 minutes in the fridge). Pure ghee firms up evenly into a uniform, pale block. It softens back at room temperature without weeping. If you see two tones or layers after chilling, beads of liquid at the edges, or a waxy rim with a softer centre that stays slumpy, that suggests blending with other oils or vanaspati.
Why it helps - Different fats solidify at different temperatures; mixed fats often separate when cooled.
Video
Step 2 - The hot-spoon test (behaviour on heat)
What you need: A metal spoon or small ladle, stove flame or lighter, a pinch of wheat flour (optional).
Put ½ teaspoon ghee on the spoon and heat gently. Pure ghee melts clear, releases a warm, nutty aroma, bubbles quietly and turns transparent before smoking. It burns out cleanly, leaving a light brown residue that wipes off. If it smokes very early with a sharp smell, splutters aggressively, stays cloudy, or leaves a sticky, gummy film, that points to added oils or vanaspati.
For extra check: Sprinkle a tiny pinch of wheat flour into the melted ghee; pure ghee fries it crisp with a pleasant aroma. Off smells or sluggish frying hint at adulteration.
Why it helps - Real ghee has a naturally high smoke point and clean burn; many mixed fats don’t.
Step 3 - The iodine check for starch
What you need: ½ teaspoon ghee, 2–3 drops of tincture of iodine (the kind kept in first-aid boxes), a clear bowl, cotton bud. Melt the ghee, let it cool till just warm, then spread it thin in the bowl. Touch a drop or two of iodine to the surface.
If the contact area turns blue or purple, starch has likely been added, often from mashed potato or sweet potato. If there’s no colour change, your ghee is in the clear.
Why it helps - Starch is a common adulterant, but it reacts instantly to iodine, making it easy to spot.
What these tests can and can’t do
This trio catches the common cheats: mixed fats and added starch. But it won’t uncover every trick. Some sophisticated blends need lab-level checks such as chemical markers for vanaspati or fat profiling. For everyday use though, these three steps are more than enough to safeguard your kitchen jar.
If your ghee fails
If any test raises doubts, it’s best to switch the brand or buy from a trusted local dairy. Check labels carefully and look for batches that carry clear sourcing information. Keeping your ghee in a cool, dry place and away from strong smells also helps preserve purity once you’ve brought it home.
Step 1 - The chill check (screens for mixed oils)
What you need: A clean teaspoon, a small glass bowl, your fridge or freezer.
Melt a spoon of ghee gently if it’s solid, then pour into the bowl. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes (or 45 minutes in the fridge). Pure ghee firms up evenly into a uniform, pale block. It softens back at room temperature without weeping. If you see two tones or layers after chilling, beads of liquid at the edges, or a waxy rim with a softer centre that stays slumpy, that suggests blending with other oils or vanaspati.
Why it helps - Different fats solidify at different temperatures; mixed fats often separate when cooled.
Video
Step 2 - The hot-spoon test (behaviour on heat)
What you need: A metal spoon or small ladle, stove flame or lighter, a pinch of wheat flour (optional).
Put ½ teaspoon ghee on the spoon and heat gently. Pure ghee melts clear, releases a warm, nutty aroma, bubbles quietly and turns transparent before smoking. It burns out cleanly, leaving a light brown residue that wipes off. If it smokes very early with a sharp smell, splutters aggressively, stays cloudy, or leaves a sticky, gummy film, that points to added oils or vanaspati.
For extra check: Sprinkle a tiny pinch of wheat flour into the melted ghee; pure ghee fries it crisp with a pleasant aroma. Off smells or sluggish frying hint at adulteration.
Why it helps - Real ghee has a naturally high smoke point and clean burn; many mixed fats don’t.
Step 3 - The iodine check for starch
What you need: ½ teaspoon ghee, 2–3 drops of tincture of iodine (the kind kept in first-aid boxes), a clear bowl, cotton bud. Melt the ghee, let it cool till just warm, then spread it thin in the bowl. Touch a drop or two of iodine to the surface.
If the contact area turns blue or purple, starch has likely been added, often from mashed potato or sweet potato. If there’s no colour change, your ghee is in the clear.
Why it helps - Starch is a common adulterant, but it reacts instantly to iodine, making it easy to spot.
What these tests can and can’t do
This trio catches the common cheats: mixed fats and added starch. But it won’t uncover every trick. Some sophisticated blends need lab-level checks such as chemical markers for vanaspati or fat profiling. For everyday use though, these three steps are more than enough to safeguard your kitchen jar.
If your ghee fails
If any test raises doubts, it’s best to switch the brand or buy from a trusted local dairy. Check labels carefully and look for batches that carry clear sourcing information. Keeping your ghee in a cool, dry place and away from strong smells also helps preserve purity once you’ve brought it home.
You may also like
Harry Kane behaviour at training left ex-Liverpool star stunned - "He's brutal"
Putin to visit India: Russian President likely to arrive on Dec 5; Lavrov to visit next month
Households urged to 'shut all doors and windows' on Friday and Saturday
Coronation Street star 'moves into caravan' after ITV soap exit
UK weather maps turn icy blue to reveal exact date brutal -1C Arctic blast hits
