Keywords
How to Cite
Abstract
Edible oil and vanaspati-ghee are essential components of the human diet; however, their quality and safety largely depend on proper processing, storage and regulatory compliance to national food safety standards. Current study aims to assess the physicochemical characteristics of commercial vanaspati-ghee (n=35) and blended-oil (n=58) from 17 different brands in each category, collected from across the province during monitory surveillance by Balochistan Food Authority, from Jan 2024 to Jan 2025.
The physicochemical parameters analyzed included, acid value, peroxide values, moisture content, p-anisidine value, iodine value, vitamin A content and refractive index.
Vanaspati-ghee had acid values ranging from 0.03 to 0.54 mg KOH/g. Peroxide 0.45-13.17 meq O₂/kg, p-anisidine 0.5-7.8, moisture content 0.11-3.3%, Totox value 1.4 to 65, refractive index 1.44-1.46, iodine 2.0-60 gI₂/100g. Reference to vit A, approximately 23% of the samples were found in regulatory compliance to national food standard specifications. Similarly blended-oil had, acid values ranging between 0.03-11.10 mg KOH/g, peroxide 0.1-18.2 meq O₂/kg, p-anisidine 1.0-11, Totox 1.1 to 40.7, moisture 0.08-2.16%, refractive index 1.44-1.46, iodine values 2.00-80.00 gI2/100g, while only 14% vit A compliance.
The study is the first study of its kind with Balochistan’s perspective, highlighting substantial quality deterioration and regulatory non-compliance across the product categories. Approximately 80% of the vanaspati-ghee and 100% blended-oil samples collected were found non-compliant to national food safety standard specifications. Quality deterioration largely attributed to oxidative degradation, excessive moisture and poor fortification practices, emphasizing the need for stringent post-production handling, improved storage and regular monitoring to ensure product stability and nutritional quality for consumer safety