Fluorescence Spectroscopy Based Detection of Adulteration in Desi Ghee

Area of Science:

• Food Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Desi ghee, derived from buffalo and cow milk, is a costly dairy product due to its rich nutritional profile, including vitamins and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
• High demand and price make desi ghee susceptible to adulteration with cheaper banaspati ghee, posing risks to consumers.
• Accurate methods are needed to detect and quantify adulteration in desi ghee to ensure food safety and quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a method for detecting and quantifying adulteration in desi ghee using fluorescence spectroscopy and multivariate analysis.
• To compare the nutritional composition of buffalo and cow milk desi ghee.

Main Methods:

• Utilized fluorescence spectroscopy to analyze desi ghee samples.
• Applied multivariate analysis techniques, including Principle Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR), for data interpretation and adulteration quantification.
• Validated the PLSR model by predicting adulteration levels in 23 unknown samples, including commercial desi ghee brands.

Main Results:

• Spectroscopic analysis revealed differences in vitamin and CLA content between buffalo and cow ghee, with buffalo ghee having more and cow ghee richer in beta-carotene.
• The PLSR model achieved a Root Mean Square Error of Prediction (RMSEP) of 1.7 for unknown samples, indicating reliable quantitative prediction of adulteration.
• The developed method is non-destructive and requires no sample pre-treatment.

Conclusions:

• Fluorescence spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis offers an effective and rapid method for detecting and quantifying adulteration in desi ghee.
• This technique can serve as an online characterization tool for ensuring food safety and authenticity in the dairy industry.