Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) seized 36 tonnes of adulterated ghee and processing materials during a major crackdown on illegal ghee manufacturing and sale across the Hyderabad Police Commissionerate, officials said on Tuesday.

The operation was carried out jointly by H-FAST and the Food Safety Department, with teams conducting simultaneous inspections at 130 establishments, including 39 ghee manufacturing units and 91 selling outlets.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said the enforcement drive was launched based on intelligence inputs and information received from the public.

Adulterated ghee made with palm oil, vanaspati

During the inspections, officials allegedly found units using cheap, non-milk ingredients and unauthorised chemicals to manufacture synthetic ghee.

The seized material included 25.5 tonnes of adulterated ghee, 8.7 tonnes of cream, 1,200 litres of palm oil, 600 litres of vanaspati (Dalda), six bottles of artificial ghee flavour and 30 kg of starch.

According to officials, milk solids were being mixed with palm oil, vanaspati and artificial ghee flavours to imitate the taste, aroma and appearance of genuine ghee.

Some units were also found using skimmed milk powder with no milk fat, along with palm oil, vanaspati and starch.

Food safety officials collected samples from the premises for laboratory testing.

Fake ‘pure ghee’ sold across Telangana, neighbouring states

Officials said the adulterated products were allegedly packed and sold under labels such as “100% Pure Ghee”, “Premium Ghee”, “Farm Fresh Ghee” and “Natural Ghee”, despite lacking mandatory information including batch or lot numbers, FSSAI licence details, Certificate of Analysis and manufacturing and expiry dates.

The level of adulteration reportedly ranged between 10 per cent and 40 per cent, with products allegedly supplied to different buyers depending on the degree of adulteration.

Police said the adulterated ghee was produced at low cost using cheaper substitute ingredients and sold as genuine ghee at higher prices.

The products were reportedly supplied to dairy shops, sweet shops, hotels, star hotels, tiffin centres, bakeries, caterers and Ayurvedic medicine shops across Telangana and neighbouring states.

The seized stock and materials have been handed over to Food Safety Authorities for further legal action.