Detection of adulteration of ghee with vanaspati. Part II. Measurement of turbidity temperatures with benzylalcoholglycerine as solvent.

Turbidity temperatures of ghee and vanaspati (in its context as an adulterant of ghee)
were determined in different pairs of solvents
and the turbidity temperature of vanaspati
was found to be unifonnly higher by 20° to 25°C.
This suggested the possibility of a method of
detection of vanaspati in ghee. Experiments
to test this possibility were carded out using
benzyl alcohol-glycerine as the solvent for fat.
The ratio of this solvent pair optimum for the
purpose in view and other procedural details
for a tentative method are given. Supporting
data to show that adulteration at the 20 per
cent level can be detected by the new methOd
are provided.
The turbidity temperature, as a characteristic of fat, Is recorded for some of the more
common edible fats. In so far as ghee is con·
cerned, there is a large variation in this temperature.
As reported ill the literature with
other solvent systems, turbidity telllperature
measured in benzyl alcohol-glycerine also is
lowered by free fatty acids and raised by moisture.
Elimination of one by extraction of the
test sample with. alkaline 70 per cent alcohol
and of the other by drying (final and necessary
step in the alcohol treatment) are referred to
in the method.