How to check if desi ghee is pure: 6 simple home tests

By Cholistan Desi Ghee, BahawalpurUpdated 15 November 2026

Much of the "desi ghee" sold in Pakistan is mixed with banaspati, cheap vegetable oil, mashed potato or animal fat. Food authorities regularly seize adulterated ghee. These six home tests take a few minutes and help you spot the most common kinds of mixing.

Jar of pure desi ghee with a spoonful lifted out — Pure desi ghee has a rich golden colour and a nutty smell.

6 ways to check desi ghee at home

1. Look at the texture (danedar test)

Leave the jar at room temperature for a few hours and look closely.

Pure: Sets into small grains (danedar), especially near the top.

Adulterated: Smooth, waxy and even, like banaspati.

2. Heat a spoonful in a pan

Put one teaspoon of ghee in a hot pan on low heat.

Pure: Melts straight away, turns golden-brown and smells nutty.

Adulterated: Takes longer to melt, stays pale yellow, or leaves white residue.

3. Palm test

Put a little ghee on your palm and close your hand for a minute.

Pure: Melts from your body heat and smells like ghee.

Adulterated: Stays solid or leaves a greasy, waxy layer.

4. Fridge layer test

Melt some ghee in a glass jar, then keep it in the fridge for a few hours.

Pure: Sets into one even, solid layer.

Adulterated: Separates into different layers. Another oil or fat has been mixed in.

5. Iodine test for potato or starch

Melt one teaspoon of ghee and add 2–3 drops of tincture of iodine (sold at medical stores). Don't eat this sample afterwards.

Pure: Colour does not change.

Adulterated: Turns blue or purple. Mashed potato or another starch has been added.

6. Smell and taste

Warm a little ghee and taste a small amount.

Pure: Rich, nutty smell; melts in the mouth and leaves no heavy coating.

Adulterated: Weak or oily smell, plastic-like taste, or a greasy layer on the tongue.

Know the limits. Home tests catch common mixing, but they can't prove purity. Some adulterants, like certain animal fats, can only be found in a lab. For a sure answer, have a sample tested at a food testing lab, such as a PCSIR laboratory.

Why adulterated ghee is a problem

You pay for desi ghee and get something cheaper. Ghee mixed with banaspati or reused oil can also contain trans fats, which raise the risk of heart disease. Unhygienic mixing can make food unsafe too.

Tips for buying pure desi ghee

Buy from a seller who tells you where the milk comes from and how the ghee is made.
Be careful with a price far below the market. Pure ghee takes about 20–25 litres of milk per kilo, so it can't be very cheap.
Buy a small jar first and test it before ordering in bulk.
Choose a seller that offers cash on delivery, so you see the product before paying.

Want ghee you don't have to test?

Our Cholistani desi ghee is slow-cooked from desert cows' makhan in Bahawalpur. Rs 3,800 per kg, cash on delivery anywhere in Pakistan.

Order desi ghee