When someone says “pure ghee”, that is a promise with numbers behind it. Here is what those numbers are, in plain language.
The two headline numbers
Milk fat: at least 99.5%. Ghee is almost entirely fat from milk.
Moisture: not more than 0.5%. Water in ghee spoils it faster and can be a sign of poor processing or dilution.
The lab tests that catch added fats
Butyro-refractometer (BR) reading. This measures how light bends through melted ghee at 40 °C. The BR reading rises when vegetable oil or animal body fat has been mixed in. FSSAI’s standard for ghee sets the permitted BR reading at 40.0 to 44.0 at 40 °C.
Reichert-Meissl (RM) value. This relates to certain fatty acids found in milk fat, and a low value can point to added fats. The FSSAI limit for ghee is at least 24.0.
Baudouin test. The standard requires this test to be negative. It checks for sesame oil, which can show that other oils have been mixed into ghee.
Why a home test cannot replace the lab
These tests need instruments and trained staff. FSSAI’s DART guide describes simple home checks, such as a few drops of iodine to spot added starch, but no home test can measure milk fat, moisture, BR reading or RM value.
How to ask for a lab report
- Ask for a report for the batch number on your jar, not a generic certificate.
- Look for the lab’s name and whether it is accredited (NABL).
- Check that milk fat, moisture, BR reading and RM value are listed.
Our lab report
FARE Labs tested a sealed 500 ml jar of our Himachali Cow Desi Bilona Ghee, collected by their own staff. Their report O&F20250611-006-036, dated 16 June 2025, found that the sample conforms to the Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011.
- Milk fat: 99.64% (standard: at least 99.5%)
- Moisture: 0.36% (standard: not more than 0.5%)
- BR reading at 40 °C: 41.7 (standard: 40.0 to 44.0)
- RM value: 26.89 (standard: at least 24.0)
- Free fatty acids: 0.77% (standard: not more than 2.0%)
- Baudouin test: negative
- Mineral oil and oil-soluble colours: absent
This report covers one sample and does not list a batch number. See all our results on our Lab Report page.
Sources
- FSSAI: Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, Chapter 2.1 Dairy products, section 2.1.8 Milk fat products (ghee)
- FSSAI: Amendments to the Food Products Standards Regulations, 2011
- FSSAI: Manual of Methods of Analysis of Foods, Milk and Milk Products (ghee tests)
- FSSAI: Manual of Methods of Analysis, Oils and Fats (Baudouin test, FSSAI 02.013:2021)
- FSSAI Eat Right India: DART, Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test
Last reviewed: 1 November 2026.
Product mentioned: Himachali Cow Desi Bilona Ghee, 500ml.
