Edible Oil Testing Laboratory in India

Edible oil testing at Auriga Research uses FSSAI, IS and in-house methods. A standard oil package covers the identity and quality parameters of the oil, then the contaminant panels.

• General parameters: separated water, suspended or foreign matter, added flavouring and colouring matter, rancidity, mineral oil, acid value, castor oil, argemone oil, moisture and trans fat.
• Oil constants: butyro-refractometer reading, saponification value, iodine value and unsaponifiable matter, where the oil standard calls for them.
• Heavy metals: lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, copper and tin.
• Pesticide residues: organochlorine, organophosphate and carbamate compounds.

The store lists packages for more than 30 oils, including mustard, groundnut, soybean, coconut, sesame, olive, palm and rice bran oil, mostly at Rs 17,000 per sample. Bulk sample discounts are available.

Mustard oil is listed as separate low erucic acid and high erucic acid packages, because the standard differs. Beyond the general edible oil panel, the mustard oil package tests for argemone oil, castor oil, hydrocyanic acid, the polybromide test, allyl isothiocyanate and hexane, and reads the butyro-refractometer, saponification, iodine and acid values.

It also covers heavy metals, methyl mercury, melamine, pesticide residues and aflatoxins. The mustard oil package is listed at Rs 17,000 per sample, with a 6 to 7 working day turnaround and a minimum sample of 500 ml.

For authenticity work on mustard oil, see our guide to oryzanol testing in mustard oil using the HPLC method. The product listing is mustard oil (low erucic acid) testing.

Oil adulteration is detected with a different technique for each problem:

• Argemone oil in mustard oil: a nitric acid paper spot test for rapid screening, confirmed by TLC and HPLC quantification of sanguinarine.
• Mineral or paraffin oil: GC-MS on the unsaponifiable fraction.
• Blending with cheaper oils: GC-FID fatty acid profiling, since each oil has its own fatty acid signature.
• Rancidity: peroxide value, acid value and free fatty acids.
• Vanaspati and trans fat: FTIR.

Argemone oil is banned under FSSAI as a chronic dropsy hazard, and each result is read against the standard for the oil named on the label.

The edible oil fatty acid profile takes 5 to 7 business days, with express available. See the adulteration testing page for the full list, and our article on desi ghee versus vanaspati for the ghee side.

Results are issued as an NABL-accredited certificate of analysis. The listed edible oil packages are Rs 17,000 per sample with a 6 to 7 working day turnaround for mustard oil, and the fatty acid profile takes 5 to 7 business days. The standard oil package covers the general parameters, heavy metals and pesticide residues in one report, so a single sample supports a typical FSSAI compliance file.

Send a minimum of 500 ml of oil in its original sealed pack where possible, and say whether you need the report for FSSAI compliance, a licence renewal or export. If you are unsure which parameters apply to your oil, the FSSAI compliance checklist lists the edible oil parameters, or you can ask for a quote and we will recommend the scope.