Variation in grainy texture of commercial ghee in relation to laboratory ghee and its blends

Ghee, a major Indian dairy product, has unique pleasing flavour and granular texture. Ten samples of commercial ghee were analysed for grainy texture, fatty acid composition and melting and crystallisation behaviour. These were compared with laboratory ghee and its blends with high melting fraction (HMF) or low melting fraction (LMF). Grain size and quantity of commercial ghee ranged from 0.200 to 0.330 mm and 1 to 40%, respectively, when incubated at 29 °C for 24 h. Laboratory ghee samples showed a grain size and quantity of 0.241 mm and 42%, respectively. Commercial samples with poor granularity had a lower level of saturated fatty acids, while those with bigger grains had a higher level of palmitic acid (>35%). The ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids showed significant variation in these samples. Differential scanning calorimetric analysis of the samples also showed variation in melting and crystallisation behaviour. In general, the characteristics of commercial ghee with poor granularity resembled those of laboratory ghee blended with LMF while commercial ghee with bigger grains compared well with the ghee blended with HMF.