Is grainy ghee a sign of adulteration

Every winter we get messages from customers worried that their ghee has turned grainy, and every summer from customers worried that it has not. Both worries come from the same idea: that grain proves purity. It does not.

Ghee is a mix of fats that melt at different temperatures. When it cools slowly, the fats with higher melting points form small crystals, and you get the familiar danedar texture. When it cools quickly, or the weather is warm, the crystals stay tiny or do not form at all, and the ghee looks smooth or stays liquid.

So the same batch of our ghee can look grainy in a cool Rajkot December and smooth in a hot Chennai kitchen. Neither change means anything is wrong with it. Equally, ghee mixed with other fats can be made to look grainy by stirring it as it sets.

The better guides are smell, taste and where the ghee comes from. Smell it when you open the jar. Melt a spoon in a warm pan and taste it. Ask the seller how much milk went into a litre and whether they keep their own cows. If you want to see for yourself, come to the farm on a Sunday and watch a batch being made.