With the arrival of the festive season, homes begin preparing sweets, and ghee is used in rituals and rituals. Taking advantage of this increased demand, some adulterators begin to compromise people’s health. However, this news from Surat is enough to caution you when purchasing pure ghee.
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Police in Surat have busted a dairy where fake pure ghee was being prepared by mixing vegetable oil, palm oil, and soybean oil. Most shockingly, turmeric was even being added to give this fake ghee a yellowish tint. The incident took place in the Wade Road area of Surat. Following a tip-off, Zone 3 LCB, Chowk Bazaar Police, and Municipal Corporation Food Safety Officers jointly raided the dairy.
During the raid, police found steel drums, a ghee mixing machine, a sealing machine, an electronic weighing scale, turmeric powder, and a large quantity of raw materials. This means that fake ghee wasn’t just being produced, but it was also being packaged and sold in the market as pure desi ghee. During interrogation, the accused reportedly revealed that palm oil and soybean oil were first mixed with vegetable ghee. This mixture was then heated and turmeric was added to give it the color of pure desi ghee. It was then packed into 15-kilogram containers, sealed, and delivered to local shops and customers.
According to the police, the accused operated at night to avoid detection. Initial investigations revealed that this business had been operating for about a year. However, the real danger came to light when a sample of this allegedly fake ghee was lab-tested. The food safety lab report declared it adulterated and unsafe for human consumption. The samples contained elements like turmeric and beta-sitosterol, which should not be present in pure desi ghee. During the operation, goods worth approximately ₹43,535, including approximately 34 kg of counterfeit ghee, raw materials, machinery, and mobile phones, were seized. The dairy operator has been arrested, and police are now investigating the shops and areas to which this counterfeit ghee was distributed.
This news isn’t just from Surat; it’s a warning to every consumer purchasing ghee from the market during the festive season. Therefore, when purchasing ghee and other food items during the festive season, carefully check the packaging, labels, and the brand name for a trusted brand.
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