KENYA STANDARD                                    DKS 2684 : 2016  
              ICS 67.200.10  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Cow ghee  — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©KEBS 2016         Second  Edition 20 16 
 
 
 
 
 
  DKS 2684 : 2016  
 
 
                                                                                                       © KEBS 2016  — All rights reserved  ii TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
 
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 
Kenya Dairy B oard- Chair  
Ministry of Health — Food Safety Unit  
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries — Directorate of Livestock Resources and Market 
Development  
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock & Fisheries - Directorate of Veterinary Services and Livesto ck Production  
Egerton University — Department of Dairy and Food Science Technology  
Government Chemist’s Department  
National Public Health Laboratory Services  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI)  
Consumer Information Network  
New Ke nya Cooperative Creameries Limited (NKCC)  
Brookside Dairy Ltd.  
Eldoville Dairies Limited  
Githunguri Dairy  
Happy Cow Ltd  
Sameer Agriculture and Livestock (K) Limited  
Kibidav Ltd (TOGGS)  
Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION OF KENYA STANDA RDS  
 
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for improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, 
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya Bureau of St andards, 2003  
 
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Managing Director.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   KENYA STANDARD                                           DKS 2684 : 2016  
 
© KEBS 201 6 — All rights reserved  iii  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cow  ghee — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA BU REAU OF STANDARDS (KEBS)  
 
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  DKS 2684 : 2016  
 
 
                                                                                                       © KEBS 2016  — All rights reserved  iv Foreword  
 
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Milk and Milk Products Technical Committee under the guidance 
of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of 
Standards  
 
Animal ghee is a coarse, granular anhydrou s milk fat product obtained from churning dairy cream to separate 
the butter and then heating until the water is driven off.  
 
Since this product can easily be adulterated with animal body fat or vegetable fats, it is therefore necessary 
that specifications  be set to regulate the quality of animal ghee offered for consumption.  
 
In the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following documents:  
 
       Codex Stan 280  
        
      The Pearsons’ Book of Food Analysis – 9th Edition.  
 
       KS 326 Specification for edible fats and oils Parts  1-6 (Second Revision ). 
 
The assistance derived from these documents is hereby acknowledged.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
          KENYA STANDARD          DKS 2684 : 201 6 
© KEBS 2016  — All rights reserved  1  
Cow ghee  — Specification  
1 Scope  
 
1.1 This Kenya standard specifies the requirements and methods  of sampling and test  for cow ghee, 
Suitable for human consumption.  
 
1.2 This standard shall only apply to the ghee obtained from cow milk fat. 
 
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of thi s standard:  
 
AOAC 942.17, Arsenic in foods molybdenum blue method  
 
KS EAS 38   Labelling of prepackaged foods  
 
CAC/RCP 57,  Code of hygiene practice for milk and milk products  
KS 1552  Code of hygienic practice for production, handling and distribution of mi lk and milk products  
 
KS ISO 2446:2008, Milk — Determination of fat content (Routine method)  
 
KS ISO 663  Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of insoluble impurities  
 
KS ISO 5555:2001 ; Animal and vegetable fats and oils -- Sampling  
 
KS ISO 3960  Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of peroxide value  
 
KS ISO 3961   Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination  of iodine value  
 
KS ISO 8294     Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of copper, iron and nickel contents  
 
KS ISO 12193  Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination  of lead content  
 
AOAC 980.21, organochlorine and organophosphorous pesticide residues in  milk and milk products  
 
KS ISO 662:2016 ; Animal and vegetable fats and oils -- Determination of moisture and volatile matter 
conten t 
 
KS ISO 6579:2002 Micro biology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the detection of 
Salmonella spp  
 
KS ISO 6785, Milk and milk products -- Detection of Salmonella spp  
 
 
KS ISO 14501 , Milk and milk powder — Determination of aflatoxin M c ontent — Clean -up by immunoaffinity 
chromatography and determination by high -performance liquid chromatography  
 
KS ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms 
— Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the pour plate technique  
 
KS ISO 6611, Milk and milk products  Enumeration of colony -forming units of yeasts and/or moulds  
Colony -count technique at 25 degrees C   
© KEBS 2016  — All rights reserved  2 KS ISO 6888 -1:1999 ; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) -- Part 1: 
Technique using Baird -Parker agar mediu m 
 
KS ISO  4832: 2006 ; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of coliforms - Colony -count technique  
 
KS ISO 660:2009 ; Animal an d vegetable fats and oils -- Determination of acid value and acidity  
 
Weights and Measures Act, Cap. 513  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply.  
Cow  ghee  
Product  exclusively obtained from cow mi lk, cream or butter, by means of processes which result in almost 
total removal of water and non-fat solids, with an especially developed flavour and physical structure  
4 Quality requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1  Colour  
The colour of cow ghee wh en in liquid form shall be transparent amber and while in solid form, cow ghee 
shall be golden in colour.  
4.1.2  Odour and taste  
The odour and taste shall be characteristic of cow ghee and free from foreign odour and taste.  
4.2 Physico -Chemical requirements  
Cow ghee shall comply with the physico -chemical requirements stipulated in Table 1:  
Table 1— Physico -Chemical requirements for cow ghee  
S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Melting point range, C 28 – 44  EAS 313  
ii.  Reichert value  26 – 29 Annex  
iii.  Free fatty acid, as oleic acid (%) m/m, max.  0.3 KS ISO 660  
iv.  Milk fat % (m/m), min.  99.8 KS ISO 2446  
v.  Moisture % (m/m), max.  0.2 KS ISO 662:2016  
vi.  Peroxide Value (milli eqvt of Oxygen/ Kg 
fat),max.  0.6 KS ISO 3960  
vii.  Iodine value (Wijs)  26 – 38 
     KS ISO 3961  
 
viii.   
Refractive index at 40 oC;  
 
OR 
 
BR  reading at  40 oC 
  
     1.4483  - 1.452  
 
 
 
          40 - 44 Annex   
© KEBS 201 6 — All rights reserved  3 ix.   
Saponification value, (mg KOH/g oil),  (min.)  
 220 Annex  
  
x.   Boudouins Test  Negative  Annex  
 
 
5 Hygiene  
5.1 Cow ghee shall be processed in accordance with the hygienic requirements stipulated in C AC/RCP 1 
and CAC/RCP 57.  
5.2 Cow ghee shall comply with the maximum limits in Table 2  
Table 2 — Microbiological limits  
S/N Micro -organisms  Maximum limits per g  Method of test  
i.  Total plate count  per gram, max  500 KS ISO 4833  
ii.  Coliform  count per gram  Abse nt  KS ISO 4833  
iii.  E. Coli  Absent  ISO 11866 -1 or ISO 11866 -2 
iv.  Salmonella spp per 25g  Absent  KS ISO 6785  
v.  Shigella per 25g  Absent  KS ISO 4833  
vi.  L. monocytogenes  per gram  Absent  ISO 10560  
vii.  Yeast and Moulds  per gram  Less than 10  KS ISO 6611  
viii.  Staphylococcus  aureus per 25g  Less than 10/g KS ISO 6888  
ix.  Bacillus cereus  Absent  KS ISO 7932  
x.  Clostridium botulinum.  Absent  
6 Contaminants  
6.1 Heavy metals, detergents and insoluble impurities  
Cow ghee shall not contain any substances harmful to human health and when  tested in accordance with the 
test methods given  in Table 3, the contaminant limits shall not exceed the levels specified in the same table  
Table 3 — Contaminant limits for cow ghee  
  
SL 
No. Contaminant  Maximum limit  Test method  
i) Matter volatile at 10 5 0C, % 
(m/m), max.  0.2 KS ISO 662:2016  
ii) Insoluble impurities, % (m/m)  0.05   KS ISO 663  
iii) Detergent residues / Soap content   absent         KS EAS 318  
iv) Iron (Fe), mg/kg  0.2      KS ISO 8294  
v) Copper (Cu), mg/kg  0.05      KS ISO 8294  
vi) Lead (Pb), mg/kg  0.1       KS ISO 12193  
vii) Arsenic (As), mg/kg  0.1 AOAC 942.17,   
© KEBS 2016  — All rights reserved  4  
6.2 Pesticide and veterinary drug residues  
The milk and milk products used in  the manufacture of Cow ghee shall comply with the maximum residue 
limits for veterinary drug residues and pesticides established for milk by th e Codex Alimentarius Commission 
in CODEX STAN 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in foods  
 
6.3 Aflatoxin M1  
Cow ghee shall not contain more than 0.05 µg/kg when tested in when tested in accordance to KS ISO 
14501:2007/ AOAC 980.21, Aflatoxin M1 in milk and cheese - thin layer chromatographic method  
   
7 Packaging  
Cow ghee shall be packaged in ai rtight food grade containers, which shall be sealed to prevent 
contamination.  
8 Labelling  
In addition to EAS 38, the following specific provisions shall apply:  
a) the name of the product;  
b) name, address and physical location of the manufacturer/processor;  
c) net contents in g or kg;  
d) manufacturing date;  
e) expiry date;  
f) country of origin;  
g) conditions of storage;  
h) batch/lot number.  
9 Fill of the container  
The fill of the container shall be in accordance with  the relevant regulations on weights and measures   
10 Sampling  
Sampling for the purpose of testing shall be done in accordance with ISO 5555:2001 ; Animal and vegetable 
fats and oils -- Sampling  
 
  
© KEBS 201 6 — All rights reserved  5  
Annex A  
(Methods of test)  
 
 
1.0 Determination of the Refractive Index  
1.1 Definition:  
The ratio of velocity of light in vacuum to the velocity of ligh6 in the oil or fat: more generally, it expresses the 
ration between the sine of angle of incidence to the sine of angle of refract ion when a ray of light known 
wave length (usually 589.3nm,  the mean of D lines of Sodium) passes from air into the oil or fat.  
Refractive index varies with the temperature wave length . 
 
1.1.2 Principle:  
 Measurement of the refractive index of sample is do ne by means of a suitable refractometer  
 
1.1.3 Apparatus:  Refractometer - Abbe or Butyro Refractometer  
By Abbes Refractometer: - Open double prism with the help of the screw head and place a drop of oil on the 
prism. Close prisms firmly by tightening screw  heads.  
Circulate water through the instrument. Let instrument stand for few minutes before taking reading so that 
the temperature of test sample and instrument are the same. Clean prism bet ween readings by wiping off oil 
with cotton pad moistened with eth yl alcohol / toluene or petroleum ether and let dry.  
By Butyro -refractometer : - Place 1 -2b drops of sample on the lower prism.  Close prisms and adjust mirror 
until it gives sharpest reading. If reading is indistinct after running constant temperature water  through 
instrument for sometime, test sample is unevenly distributed on prism surfaces.  As refractive index is greatly 
affected by temperature, use care to keep temperature constant  
The temperature of the refractometer should be controlled to within +/ - 0.1°C and for this purpose it should 
be provided with a thermostatically controlled water bath and a motor driven pump to circulate water through 
the instrument  
When butyro -refractometer is used its reading can be converted to refractive index with the hel p of table   
1.1.4 Light Source  
If the refractometer is equipped with a compensator, a tungsten lamp or day light may be used. Otherwise a 
monochromatic light such as sodium vapour lamp (589.3 run) may be used.  
1.1.5 Procedure  
Melt the sample if it is not a lready liquid and filter through a filter paper to remove impurities and traces of 
moisture. Make sure sample is completely dry.  
Circulate stream of water through the instrument. Adjust the temperature of the refractometer to the desired 
temperature. Ensur e that the prisms are clean and dry   
© KEBS 2016  — All rights reserved  6 Place a few drops of the sample on the prism. Close the prisms and allow standing for 1 -2 min. Adjust the 
instrument and lighting to obtain the most distinct reading possibleand determing the refractive index or 
butyro -refractometer number as the case may be.  
5.1.6 Temperature correction - Determine refractive index at the specified temperature. If the temperature 
correction is necessary use the following formula:  
R=R1 + KI (T1 -T0 
Where,  
R = Reading of the refractomter re duced to the specified temperature TOC 
 RI = Reading at TIC 
5.1.7 Significance  
Refractive index of oils increases with increase in a saturation and also chain length of fatty acids  
(Ref: - A.O.A.C 17th edn, 2000, official method 921.08 - Index of refraction  of oils and fats / I.S.I Handbook of 
food analysis (Part XIII) - 1984, Page 70.) Table for conversion of BR readings to refractive index  
2.0 Determination of Saponification Value  
7.1 Definition:  
 The saponification value is the number of mg of potassium hy droxide required to saponify 1 gram of 
oil/fat  
The oil sample is saponified by refluxing with a known excess of alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution. The 
alkali required for saponification is determined by titration of the excess potassium hydroxide with  standard 
hydrochloric acid  
2.2 Analytical importance:  
The saponification value is an index of mean molecular weight of the fatty acids of glycerides 
comprising a fat. Lower the saponification value, larger the molecular weight of fatty acids in the glyce rides 
and vice -versa.  
2.3 Apparatus:  
a. 250 ml capacity conical flask with ground glass joints.  
b. 1 m long air condenser, or reflux condenser (65 cm minimum in length) to fit the flask (a).  
c. Hot water bath or electric hot plate fitted with thermos  
 
2.4 Reagents:  
(i) Alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution - Reflux 1.2 litre alohol 30 minutes with 10 gm KOH and 6 gm 
granulated Aluminium or Al foil. Distill and collect 1 litre after discarding first 50 m1.  
Dissolve 40 g of potassium hydroxide in this I litre  alcohol keeping temperature below 15 0 C while dissolving 
alkali. Allow to stand overnight, decant the clear liquid and keep in a bottle closed tightly  with a cork or 
rubber stopper. \  
© KEBS 201 6 — All rights reserved  7 ii) Phenolphthalein indicator solution - Dissolve 1.0 g of phenolphtha lein in 100 ml rectified spirit  
iii) Standard  hydrochloric acid: approximately 0.5 N  
2.5 Procedure:  
Melt the sample if it is not already liquid and filter through a filter to remove any impurities and the last traces 
of moisture. Make sure that the sample is completely dry. Mix the sample thoroughly and weigh about 1.5 to 
2.0 g of dry sample into a 250 ml Erlenmeyer flask. Pipette  25 ml of the alcoholic potassium hydroxide 
solution into the flask. Conduct a blank determination along with the sample. Connect  the sample flasks and 
the blank flask with air condensers, keep on the water bath, boil gently but steadily until saponification is 
complete, as indicated by absence of any oily matter and appearance of clear solution. Clarity may be 
achieved within one h our of boiling. After the flask and condenser have cooled somewhat wash down the 
inside of the condenser with about 10 ml of hot ethyl alcohol neutral to phenolphthalein. Titrate the excess 
potassium hydroxide with 0.5N hydrochloric acid, using about 1.0 m l phenolphthalein indicator.  
2.6 Calculation:  
Saponification Value = 56.1 (B -S)N 
W 
Where,  
B = Volume in ml of standard hydrochloric acid required for the blank.  
S = Volume in ml of standard hydrochloric acid required for the sample  
N = Normality of the sta ndard hydrochloric acid and  
W = Weight in gm of the oil/ fat taken for the test.  
Note: - when titrating oils and fats which give dark coloured soap solution, the observation of the end point of 
titration may be facilitated either (a) by using thymolphthale in or alkali blue or b) by shaking l ml of 0.11 (w/v) 
solution of methylene blue in water to each 100 ml oflillRolphth!ll1li indicator solution before the titration.  
(Ref: - A.O.A.C 17th edn, 2000, Official method 920.160 Saponification number of oils and fats / IUP AC 2. 
202 / I.S.I Handbook of Food Analysis (Part XIII) 1984, page 78)  
 
3.0 Determinatio n of Reichert -Meissl  Valu e 
 
Butter is distin guished from other fats by the presence of glyceryl  esters of relatively low 
molecular weight fatty acids, especi ally butyric but also caproic, capric, caprylic, lauric and 
myristic acids. These acids are wholly or partially steam volatile and water soluble. The 
Reichert value reflects the amount of butyric and caproic acids present and Polenske 
chiefly capryilic, ca pric and lauric acid with some contribution from myristic and even 
palmitic acid.  
3.1 Definition:  
The Reichert -Meissl value is the number of millilitres of O.1N aqueous sodium hydroxide solution 
required to neutralise steam volatile water soluble fatty aci ds distilled from 5g of an oil/fat under the  
© KEBS 2016  — All rights reserved  8 prescribed  conditions. It is a measure of water soluble steam volatile butyric and caproic acids present in oil 
or fat.  
 
3.2 Principle:  
The material is saponified by heating glycerol sodium hydroxide solution an d then split by treatment with  
dilute sulfuric acid . The volatile acids are immediately steam distilled. The soluble volatile acid in the  distillate 
are filtered out and estimated by titration with standard sodium  hydroxide solution.  
 
 
 
3.3 Analytical Impo rtance  
These determinations  have been used principally for analysis of butter  and margarines. Butter  fat contains 
mainly butyric acid glycerides. Butyric  acid is volatile and soluble in water.  
No other fat contains butyric acid glycerides, and therefore, the Reichert -Meissl  value of the butte r fat is 
higher than that for any other fat. Coconut oil and palm kernel oil contain appreciable quantities of capric and 
lauric acid glycerides. These fatty acids are steam volatile but not solubl e in water, and hence  give high 
Polenske value . 
 
3.4 Apparatus:  
a. An all -glass distillation as sembly conforming to specifications  given in  AOCS Official Methods Cd  5-40 or 
Methods of Ana lysis, AOAC - 17th Edn,’ Figure 925.41 chapter 41 page 14  or distillation apparatus as s hown 
in the diagram below  
b. 25 ml beaker  
c. 100 ml graduated cylinder  
 d. 100 m1 pipette  
e. Graduated burette  
f. Asbestos board with a hole ab out 65mm dia for su pporting the flask over  the burner. During distillation the 
flask shall fit snugly into the ho le of the board t o prevent the flame from impingin g on the surface of the flask 
above the hole.  
g. Bunsen burner sufficiently large to all ow completion of distillation in the  prescribed time  
 
 
3.5 Reichert - Meissl  Distillation Apparatus  
 
10.6 Reagents  
a). Glycerine:   
© KEBS 201 6 — All rights reserved  9 b. concentrated sodiu m hydroxide  solution: 50 % (w /w) Dissolve sodium hydroxide in equal wt of water and 
store solutio n a bottle.  Use clear solution free from deposit  
c.) Pumice sto ne grains  
d.) Dilute sulfuric acid solution: Approximately 1.0  N 
e.) Sodium hydroxide solution:  
 0.l N solution in water, accurately standardized  
3.6 Apparatus  
f.) Phenolpthalein indicator:  
Dissolve 0.1 g of  phenolpthalein in 100 ml of ethyl alcohol  
 g.) Ethyl alcohol:  
90% by volume and neutral to phenolphthalein  
3.7 Procedure  
Weigh accura tely 5 ± 0.1 g of filtered oil or fat into a clean, dry 300ml distilli ng flask. Add 20 ml of 
glycerin and 2ml of concentrated sodium hydroxide solution, and heat  while swirling over a flame until 
completely saponified, as shown by the  mixture becoming perfectly clear. Cool the content s slightly and add 
90 ml of boiling distilled water, which has  been vigorously boiled for about 15min. after thorough mixing the 
solution,  should remain clear. If the solution is not clear ( indicating incom plete  saponification) or is darker 
than light yellow (indicating over -heating) , report  the saponification with a fresh sample of the oil or fat. If the 
sample is  old, the solution may sometimes be dark and not clear  
Add about 0.6 -0.7 gm of pumice stone gra ins, and 50 ml of dilute  sulfuric acid solution. Immediately  connect 
the flask to the distillation apparatus. Place the flask on asbestos  board so that it fits snugly into the  aperture. 
This will pr event the fl ame from impinging on the surface of the flask  above the level of the liquid and avoid 
super heating. Hea t very gently until the liberated  fatty acids melt and separate. Then set the flame so that  
110 ml of distillate shall be collected within 19 to 21 min. The beginning of the distillation is to be t aken as the 
moment when the first drop of the  distillate falls from the condenser in the receiving flask.  
 Keep the water in  the condenser flowing at a sufficient speed to maintain the temperature of the outgoing 
water from the condenser between 15 and 20 oC. Collect  the distillate in a graduated flask.  
When the distillate exactly reaches the 110 ml mark on the flask, remove the flame and quickly replace the 
flask by a 25 ml measuring cylinder. Stopper the graduated flask and without mixing it in a water ba th 
maintained at 15 Oc for 10 min so that the 11o ml graduation mark is 1 cm below the water level in the bath. 
Swirl round the contents of the flask from time to time . Remove the graduated fl ask from the cold water bath, 
dry the outside and mix the conten t gently by inverting the flask 4  to 5 times without shaking. Avoid wetting  
the stopper with the  insoluble acids.  Filter the liquid through a dry, 9 cm  whatman filter paper. Reject the  first  
© KEBS 2016  — All rights reserved  10 2-3 ml of the filt rate and collect the rest in a dry  flask. The f iltrate  should be clear. Pipette 100  ml of the filtrate 
and add 5 drops of the  phenolphthalein solut ion, and titrate against standard O.lN sodium  reagents.  
Run a  Blank Test without the fat, but using the same quantities of the  reagents  
Calculation  
Reichert -Meissl  value = (A -B) × N × 11  
Where , 
A = Volume  of standard sodium hydroxide solution required for the test;  
B = Volume in ml in standard sodium hydroxide solution required for the blank; and  
N = Normality of standard sodium hydroxide solution.