Ahead of the festive season, FSSAI has initiated a statewide drive in Madhya Pradesh to test the purity of ghee. Food safety teams are collecting samples from across districts, which will be tested at government-recognized labs in Bhopal and Indore.
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In preparation for the upcoming festive season, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a ghee purity testing campaign across Madhya Pradesh. The drive aims to protect consumers from adulterated ghee, which is commonly sold during periods of high demand like festivals.
Under this initiative, food safety officers in every district are collecting five ghee samples—two branded and three loose or unbranded. These samples are being sent to state-authorized laboratories in Bhopal and Indore for quality testing using advanced techniques like butyro-refractometer analysis, which helps detect impurities such as palm oil or other cheaper substitutes.
 Key Points:
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Drive Duration: July 2025
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Samples per District: 5 (2 branded, 3 loose)
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Testing Labs: CES Lab (Bhopal) and Choksi Lab (Indore)
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Technology Used: Butyro-refractometer for detecting adulteration
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Targeted Districts: Including high-risk regions like Gwalior-Chambal
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Purpose: To identify unsafe, adulterated ghee in the market
 Why the Drive Matters
With festivals like Raksha Bandhan and Janmashtami approaching, demand for dairy products, especially ghee, increases significantly. This creates opportunities for unscrupulous traders to mix low-cost oils into ghee to increase profit margins. Adulterated ghee can be harmful to health, causing digestive problems and long-term illnesses.
FSSAI’s effort is not only a response to past complaints but also part of its preventive action plan to improve public food safety awareness. Officials emphasize that any samples found violating standards will lead to legal action under food safety laws.
A new government-funded lab is also planned for Gwalior to strengthen local testing capacity in the future, ensuring faster reporting and stricter control in identified hotspot areas.
 Consumer Awareness
Consumers are urged to:
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Purchase ghee from verified and reputed brands
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Avoid unusually cheap products sold without packaging
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Check labels for FSSAI license numbers
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Report suspicious products to the nearest food safety office
