India’s food safety regulator has moved against two food businesses in one weekend pulling a manufacturer’s ghee off shelves over suspected adulteration and suspending a major retail chain’s licence — as part of a nationwide crackdown on adulterated dairy products.
India’s food safety regulator has taken action against two separate businesses this week, as part of ongoing push against adulterated dairy products nationwide. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a prohibition order directing Daman-based SDP Industries to immediately stop selling every variant of its ghee, while separately suspending the food business licence of Delhi-based Marche Retail Pvt Ltd, which operates the Le Marche retail chain, for 30 days. (1✔ ✔Trusted Source
FSSAI Prohibited the Sale of all variants of Ghee Products Manufactured by Daman-Based SDP Industries Over Adulteration Concerns
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What Did Lab Tests Actually Find in the Ghee?
The action against SDP Industries followed laboratory testing of ghee sold under three well-known brand names — Shraddha, Shree Saras, and Gokul — all manufactured at the company’s Daman facility.
According to FSSAI, the samples tested positive for A-sitosterol, a plant-derived sterol that has no legitimate place in genuine ghee, alongside irregularities in the product’s fatty-acid composition.
Taken together, the regulator said, these findings point toward the possible presence of vegetable oils or other foreign fats blended into the ghee — a compliance and safety concern under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
SDP Industries has been ordered to immediately stop manufacturing, storing, or distributing the affected ghee, and to ensure none of the flagged stock reaches consumers until further notice.
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Why Was Marche Retailer’s Licence Suspended?
The Marche Retail case is unrelated to the ghee findings but reflects the same enforcement push. An inspection of the company’s premises, followed by a subsequent re-inspection, turned up what FSSAI described as serious non-compliance — the retail chain’s follow-up inspection score came in at just 37%, placing it firmly in the non-compliant category.
The issues cited spanned the condition and upkeep of its premises, operational procedures, sanitation standards, staff hygiene, training records, and general recordkeeping.
FSSAI has ordered the company to halt all food business activity immediately until the identified gaps are fixed and verified by inspectors.
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FSSAI’S Nationwide Crackdown
Both actions arrive amid a broader enforcement drive that FSSAI has been intensifying since December 2025, when it directed every state and union territory to launch a special campaign against adulteration in milk-based products — specifically ghee, paneer, and khoya — under Section 16(5) of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
That directive followed repeated intelligence suggesting unsafe dairy products were circulating widely across the country, a concern that gained particular public attention after 2024’s Tirupati laddu controversy, in which ghee supplied for temple prasadam was found to contain animal fat.
Why Adulterated Ghee Is a Genuine Health Concern
Ghee adulterated with vanaspati, cheaper vegetable oils, or animal-derived fats isn’t just a quality issue — it can affect health in ways that aren’t obvious from taste or appearance alone.
Depending on what’s mixed in, adulterated ghee can raise
How to Check If Your Ghee Is Pure — At Home
While lab testing is the only way to confirm purity with certainty, a few simple home checks can help flag ghee that’s worth questioning:
- The palm test: Rub a small spoonful of ghee between your palms. Pure ghee melts almost immediately from body heat alone; adulterated ghee tends to stay thick, greasy, or take noticeably longer to melt.
- The fridge/solidifying test: Melt a spoonful of ghee, then let it cool or refrigerate it for about 30 minutes. Pure ghee solidifies evenly with a consistent, grainy texture; if it separates into visible layers, it likely contains added oils or fats.
- The water test: Stir a spoonful of ghee into a glass of warm water. Pure ghee tends to float cleanly on the surface; adulterated ghee may dissolve, sink, or leave the water looking cloudy.
- The iodine test: Add a drop of iodine solution to a small amount of melted ghee. If the ghee turns blue or blackish, it likely contains starch — a common, cheap adulterant.
- Smell and residue: Genuine ghee has a rich, distinct, nutty aroma. Adulterated ghee often smells faint, purely oily, or leaves a sticky, waxy film instead of melting cleanly.
Running more than one of these checks together gives a more reliable read and if ghee fails two or more, it’s reasonable to treat it with suspicion. It’s also worth checking the label for FSSAI and AGMARK certification marks and be aware of vague terms like “ghee blend” in place of a clear “100% pure ghee” claim.
FSSAI Prohibited the Sale of all variants of Ghee Products Manufactured by Daman-Based SDP Industries Over Adulteration Concerns
These two enforcement actions are a reminder that adulteration in staple foods like ghee isn’t a one-off problem — it’s part of a pattern serious enough that regulators have made it a standing nationwide priority since late 2025.
Consumers can’t rely on regulators alone to catch every case, so pairing simple at-home purity checks with attention to trusted brands and proper certification remains the most practical way to reduce the risk of unknowingly buying adulterated ghee.
References:
- FSSAI Prohibited the Sale of all variants of Ghee Products Manufactured by Daman-Based SDP Industries Over Adulteration Concerns- (https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2301960®=48&lang=2)
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended license of M/S MARCHE RETAIL PRIVATE LIMITED, New Delhi & has issued prohibition order to M/S SDP INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED, Daman after uncovering serious food safety violations. – (https://www.fssai.gov.in/)
Source-PIB, FSSAI