Acid Value
The acid value gives an idea about the age of the oil because the acid content, or the amount of fatty acids, increases in oil with time due to hydrolysis with moisture. As per Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Regulations, acid value of mustard oil should not be more than 6.0. So, a lower acid value is beneficial for consumers. All brands were within the specified limit. Acid value was lowest in Kanodia (0.80) and
highest in P Mark (1.63) and Babaji (1.63). Brand Kanodia Tez Fortune Dhara Patanjali P Mark Babaji
Argemone Oil Mineral Oil
Lab Results (Value) 0.80 0.89 0.91 1.47 1.59 1.63 1.63
Argemone oil is extracted from argemone seeds. It is adulterated with mustard oil to increase the quantity thereof. Consumption of this oil can lead to health disorders. In fact, consumption of mustard oil adulterated with argemone oil even for a short duration leads to a clinical condition referred to as epidemic dropsy.
As per FSS Regulations, argemone oil in edible vegetable oils shall be negative. Argemone oil was not detected in any brand. This
is good news for consumers.
Mineral oil is a colourless and odourless oil that is made from petroleum—as a by-product of the distillation of petroleum. It is adulterated to increase the quantity of the oil it is added to.
As per FSS Regulations, mustard oil shall be free from mineral oil. In our laboratory tests, mineral oil was not detected in any of the brands. This is good news for consumers.
Oil shall be supplied for human consumption only after refining. As per FSS Regulations, oil so refined shall not contain hexane more than 5 ppm (parts per million). In kachchi ghani or cold-pressed process, no solvent is required. As such, mustard oil (kachchi ghani) should be free from the solvent hexane. Hexane was not detected in any of the brands (detection limit of laboratory was 1 ppm). This implies that there was no adulteration with refined oil. This is good news for consumers. Vegetable oils are also obtained by the method of solvent extraction. Hexane is a permitted solvent.