Mustard Oil (Kachchi Ghani)

Mustard Oil (Kachchi Ghani)

Shall be free from adulterants

Its sharp taste and pungent flavour make it an all-time favourite cooking oil. At the same time, its vitamin-laden, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties are acknowledged widely. With so many brands of mustard oil in the marketplace, consumers may often be faced with confusion about choosing one over the other. The question is: are they all as good as another and do they meet the basic requirements? Do they all fulfil the minimum requirements and are they all safe for consumption? Do we know that the acid value in mustard oil indicates the age of the oil? How many of us know that the oil must not have any traces of argemone oil or mineral oil? Cold-pressed mustard oil, better known as kachchi ghani oil, should also be free from the solvent hexane.

This report checks seven popular brands of mustard oil along the above-mentioned parameters, which are important determinants of quality and safety. It may be noted that only three of the seven brands – namely Babaji, Kanodia and P Mark – were AGMARK-certified. The good news is that none of the tested brands diverged from the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Regulations on the key parameters, as discussed in detail below.