Detection of Vanaspati Adulteration in Milk Fat

Adulteration of milk fat with hydrogenated vegetable oils like vanaspati is detected by:

Correct Answer: Baudoin test

The Baudoin test (also spelled Baudouin test) is used to detect adulteration of milk fat (ghee, butter) with hydrogenated vegetable oils (vanaspati/dalda). The test detects sesame oil (til oil), which is mandatorily added to vanaspati in India as a marker.

Principle of Baudoin Test

Vanaspati is required by law to contain at least 5% sesame oil as a marker. The Baudoin test uses furfural reagent — sesame oil contains sesamol/sesamin that gives a red colour with furfural + hydrochloric acid. A positive Baudoin test (red colour) indicates presence of vanaspati in milk fat.

Other Detection Tests

• Hansa test: Mixing of cow & buffalo milk
• Iodine test: Starch adulteration in milk
• Benedict test: Reducing sugars (not milk adulteration)
• Bromo-cresol-purple: Detergent adulteration
• p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde: Urea adulteration
• Picric acid: Gelatin adulteration
• Delvo kit: Antibiotic residues

Why Other Options Are Wrong

• Benedict test → detects reducing sugars; not used for fat adulteration.
• Hansa test → detects species mixing (cow vs. buffalo), not vanaspati.
• Iodine test → detects starch, not vanaspati.