Ghee has got typical pleasing and appetizing aroma. It contributes colour and flavor richness to foods. Clarified ghee contains not less than 99.5 % fat and fat is the most valued milk component. Ghee is one of the most widely used milk products in numerous foods for various purposes. In fact, it is considered as the supreme cooking and frying medium.
Ghee in pure form is used to feed children because of its therapeutic value, and is mixed with honey and used as an aphrodisiac. Ghee is considered to be fairly stable due to the low water content and high antioxidative properties. Ghee is also rich in CLA, which shows anticarcinogenic effects.
Chemically, ghee is a complex lipid of glycerides (usually mixed), free fatty acids, phospholipids, sterols, sterol esters, fat soluble vitamins, carbonyls, hydrocarbons, carotenoids (only in ghee derived from cow milk), small amounts of charred casein and traces of calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc. It contains not more than 0.3% moisture.
Glycerides constitute about 98% of the total material. Of the remaining constituents of about 270, sterols (mostly cholesterol) occur to the extent of about 0.5%.
Ghee oil: Contributes color and flavor
richness to foods
