36 tonnes of adulterated ghee seized in Hyderabad; sold as ‘100% pure ghee’, says CP Sajjanar - The HinduPublished - August 18, 2026 02:28 pm IST - HYDERABADHyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar and other police officials checking adulterated ghee on August 18, 2026 | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENTIt looked like ghee, smelled like ghee and was being sold as “100% Pure Ghee”. But a major crackdown by Hyderabad police has revealed what officials believe was a sprawling network manufacturing ghee using palm oil, vanaspathi, starch and artificial flavours and selling it to unsuspecting consumers.The Hyderabad City Police on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) said they had seized 36 tonnes of adulterated ghee and raw materials during a coordinated enforcement drive covering 130 establishments across the city.“Food adulteration is a serious threat to public health and strict action will be taken against those involved in manufacturing and selling such products,” Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said addressing a press conference in the city.He said that the operation was conducted by the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) of city police with the Food Safety Department.Ghee without the milkThe teams inspected 39 manufacturing units and 91 ghee-selling outlets, acting on intelligence inputs and information received from members of the public.According to Mr. Sajjanar, some manufacturers allegedly manufactured synthetic ghee by mixing cheaper ingredients with artificial flavours to mimic the taste, aroma and appearance of genuine ghee.What was seized?The seized material included 25.5 tonnes of adulterated ghee, 8.7 tonnes of cream, 1,200 litres of palm oil, 600 litres of vanaspathi, 30 kg of starch and six bottles of artificial ghee flavours.The Food safety officials collected statutory samples from the premises for laboratory analysis. The seized material was handed over to the Food Safety Department for further legal action.“Public participation is crucial in the fight against food adulteration. Citizens should remain vigilant and report suspected cases so that timely enforcement action can be taken,” Mr. Sajjanar said.The investigation found that the alleged adulteration ranged from 10% to 40%, with the products being supplied to different end-users depending on the level of adulteration, the Commissioner said.Establishments it was supplied toThe products were allegedly supplied as deepam/pooja ghee as well as to restaurants, tiffin centres, sweet manufacturers, bakeries, caterers and Ayurvedic shops. The police also said the adulterated ghee was supplied to dairy shops and hotels, including star hotels.Several products were allegedly packed in transparent covers and marketed under labels such as “100% Pure Ghee”, “Premium Ghee”, “Farm Fresh Ghee” and “Natural Ghee”.Mr. Sajjanar said the food packets inspected did not carry several mandatory details, including batch or lot numbers, FSSAI licence information, certificate of analysis and dates of manufacture, packing and expiry or use-by.Raw material from six StatesThe alleged operation also had an inter-State procurement chain. The cream used in the manufacturing process was reportedly sourced from suppliers in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.The police said manufacturers were able to produce the adulterated product at a much lower cost by replacing genuine milk fat with cheaper ingredients and then selling it as original ghee at a higher price. The products were allegedly distributed across Telangana and neighbouring States.Health concernsThe police said the use of refined palm oil, palm kernel oil and palmolein along with various chemical additives and artificial flavours to imitate genuine ghee could pose health risks.According to the advisory issued by the police, prolonged consumption of products containing excessive trans-fats could contribute to increased LDL cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Officials also flagged possible digestive, liver, kidney, skin and metabolic problems associated with certain additives.The police, however, said samples collected during the operation would undergo laboratory analysis, which would establish the precise nature and extent of adulteration. Mr. Sajjanar urged consumers to exercise caution while purchasing dairy products.Measures people can take before buying ghee“Consumers are strongly advised to purchase ghee, milk and other dairy products only from reputed and licensed vendors and ensure that the packaging has intact tamper-proof seals, complete manufacturer details and a valid FSSAI licence,” he said.The police also cautioned consumers against buying suspiciously cheap or unbranded ghee sold loose and advised them to avoid sweets and dairy preparations from food outlets without certification.Phone number to lodge food adulteration complaintsPeople who suspect food adulteration or unhygienic food preparation can contact Dial 112 or the H-FAST helpline at 8712661212. The police said the identity of informants would be kept confidential.Adulterated ghee and raw materials seized by police, displayed at a press conference by Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar on August 18, 2026 | Video Credit: NAGARA GOPALPublished - August 18, 2026 02:28 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }