Understanding What is the Iodine Value of Ghrita?

December 4, 2025 •

2 min read

According to research published by the National Institutes of Health, Brahmi Ghrita can exhibit an iodine value (IV) in the range of 34.75 to 35.88, which is notably higher than plain cow ghrita. Understanding what is the iodine value of ghrita is essential for assessing its fatty acid profile, purity, and overall quality.

Quick Summary

The iodine value of ghrita measures its unsaturation level, with higher values indicating more unsaturated fatty acids. This metric is vital for quality control, detecting adulteration with cheaper oils or fats, and differentiating between ghee derived from various animal sources or processing methods.

Key Points

Unsaturation Measurement: The iodine value (IV) quantifies the degree of unsaturation in ghrita, indicating the number of double bonds present in its fatty acid chains.
Quality and Adulteration: A shift from the typical iodine value range can indicate adulteration with cheaper oils or fats, such as palm olein or tallow.
Source Differentiation: Ghrita from different animals has characteristic iodine values, with cow ghee generally having a higher IV than buffalo ghee.
Dietary Influence: The iodine value is significantly affected by the diet of the milch animal, with factors like cottonseed cake feeding altering the final value.
Seasonal Variation: Environmental and seasonal factors impacting animal feed and health can cause natural fluctuations in the iodine value of ghrita throughout the year.
Analytical Tool: Used alongside other parameters like Saponification Value and Reichert-Meissl value, the iodine value helps provide a comprehensive quality assessment.
Processing Effects: Heating processes and the incorporation of medicinal herbs, as in Ayurvedic ghritas, can also cause measurable changes to the final iodine value.

The Core Concept of Iodine Value

The iodine value (IV) is a fundamental analytical parameter in food science for fats and oils. It represents the grams of iodine absorbed by 100 grams of a fat or oil, indicating the degree of unsaturation through the number of double bonds in the fatty acids. A higher IV signifies more unsaturated bonds. For ghrita (clarified butter), the IV is influenced by factors like the source animal, diet, season, and processing, offering insights into its chemical composition and quality.

Standard Ranges and Variations in Ghrita

Pure cow and buffalo ghrita have established IV ranges, though they can vary geographically and seasonally. Cow ghee typically shows a higher IV (around 38.69) compared to buffalo ghee (around 34.10), attributed to differences in unsaturated fatty acids. Dietary factors, such as feeding cottonseed, can increase the IV. Similarly, the inclusion of medicinal herbs in Ayurvedic preparations like Brahmi Ghrita can alter the IV.

The Role of Iodine Value in Adulteration Detection

The IV is a key tool for detecting ghrita adulteration. Because adulterants like cheaper vegetable oils have different IVs, their addition changes the overall IV of the ghrita. Fats like palm olein and sheep body fat, with higher IVs than pure ghrita, will increase the sample's IV. While useful for initial checks, the IV alone may not detect all adulterants, necessitating advanced techniques like fractionation for higher sensitivity.

Factors Influencing Ghrita's Iodine Value

The iodine value of ghrita is influenced by the source animal (cow vs. buffalo), diet (e.g., cottonseed), season, region, processing method, and medicinal ingredients in Ayurvedic preparations. For example, cow ghee generally has a higher IV than buffalo ghee.

Ghee Adulteration Detection: IV and Other Parameters


Parameter	Pure Cow Ghee	Pure Buffalo Ghee	Ghee + Palm Olein	Ghee + Sheep Fat
Iodine Value (IV)	~35.5 - 41.2	~30.1 - 36.4	Increases significantly	Increases significantly
Saponification Value	~210 - 233	~210 - 233	Decreases with adulteration	Decreases with adulteration
Reichert-Meissl (RM) Value	~26 - 32	~32+	Lowered	Lowered
Butyro-Refractometer (BR) Reading	Varies by region	Varies by region	Increases	Increases

This table shows how different parameters change when ghrita is adulterated with fats like palm olein or sheep fat. Using multiple tests alongside the IV provides a more reliable method for detecting adulteration. Advanced techniques can also enhance detection sensitivity.

Conclusion

The iodine value is a critical measure of ghrita's quality and authenticity, reflecting its fatty acid unsaturation. This value is influenced by factors like the animal source, diet, season, and processing. It is a key parameter for quality control and detecting adulteration, helping to ensure consumers receive pure ghrita.

For further details on analyzing adulterated ghrita, refer to {Link: ResearchGate https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311494429_Iodine_value_integrated_with_solvent_fractionation_technique_as_a_tool_for_detecting_palm_olein_and_sheep_body_fat_adulteration_in_ghee_clarified_milk_fat}.

Frequently Asked Questions

The iodine value of ghrita is primarily significant as a measure of its degree of unsaturation. It reveals the number of double bonds in the fat's fatty acid chains, which in turn indicates its chemical composition, potential for adulteration, and overall quality.

Typical iodine values vary by the animal source. For example, pure cow ghee has been reported to range from approximately 35.5 to 41.2, while pure buffalo ghee ranges from about 30.1 to 36.4. These ranges are influenced by factors like season and diet.

Cheaper oils and fats often used for adulteration, such as palm olein, have different iodine values than pure ghrita. If an adulterant with a higher iodine value is added, the overall IV of the ghrita will increase, signaling potential contamination.

Yes, the animal's diet significantly affects the iodine value. Feeding milch animals certain types of feed, like cottonseed cake, is known to cause a notable increase in the iodine value of their ghee.

Yes, a difference is typically observed. Cow ghrita generally has a higher iodine value than buffalo ghrita, which reflects the differences in the fatty acid composition between the two milk types.

Ayurvedic ghrita formulations, like Brahmi Ghrita, are prepared by infusing herbs and other ingredients into plain ghrita. These additional components can alter the final fat profile and cause a change in the iodine value compared to the base ghrita.

No, while a critical indicator, the iodine value does not tell the whole story. For a complete quality assessment, it is used alongside other parameters like Saponification Value, Reichert-Meissl Value, and Butyro-Refractometer reading.