Detection of adulteration by caprine body fat and mixtures of caprine body fat and groundnut oil in bovine and buffalo ghee using differential scanning calorimetry

Differential scanning calorimetry was used to detect adulteration of pure ghee with caprine body fat when added singly (at 5, 10 and 15%) and in combination with groundnut oil (GNO) (at 5, 10 and 15%). Samples were analysed for transition behaviour in terms of crystallising and melting curves. When compared to pure ghee, adulterated ghee samples showed a shift in the midrange temperature of thermal curves, indicating the presence of foreign fats. The results revealed that the detection of adulteration was possible at the lowest level of the study (5%), irrespective of the nature of the adulterants.