Govt orders crackdown after ghee, oil samples found substandard

August 20, 2026 (MLN): The government has directed regulatory authorities to launch immediate enforcement action after a nationwide testing exercise found a significant proportion of Banaspati ghee, edible oil and milk products failing to meet prescribed quality standards, with excessive trans-fat levels, missing Vitamin A content and elevated peroxide values detected in a large number of samples, according to a report by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR).

The findings also revealed a stark disparity between notified LPG rates and prevailing market prices, prompting directives for urgent regulatory intervention, said a press release issued.

The findings were reviewed at a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, who also examined a separate report by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on the LPG pricing gap.

The Nutrition Section of the Ministry of Planning informed the meeting that around 491 samples of Banaspati ghee, edible oil and milk products had been collected from locations designated by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) across all provinces for testing.

Ghee and Edible Oil Findings

Trans-fat levels beyond permissible limits were found in 26 Banaspati ghee samples, touching as high as 15.87 grams per 100 grams against the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) limit of 2 grams per 100 grams.

Elevated peroxide values were recorded in 22 ghee samples, while 15 samples showed higher-than-permitted free fatty acids.

Vitamin A was absent in 46 ghee samples, with rancidity and excess moisture also flagged in some.

In blended cooking oil, Vitamin A was missing from 26 samples, while four samples showed peroxide values well above the prescribed threshold of 10, with one sample reaching 76.71.

Elevated free fatty acids, rancidity, and excess moisture and volatiles were also observed in several samples. Among refined palm olein samples, three out of four failed to meet the required standard.

Milk Products

All 26 non-conforming packaged liquid milk samples were found deficient in milk-fat content relative to prescribed levels, while all eight non-conforming milk powder samples had below-standard protein levels.

Two milk powder samples also showed non-conformity in total ash and fat content.

Ahsan Iqbal termed the findings a confirmation of the concerns previously raised by the government, linking the rise in early deaths and heart attacks in society to the consumption of substandard food products.

He directed regulatory authorities to initiate immediate enforcement measures and called for a comprehensive national framework to ensure food quality, quantity assurance and safety.

He noted that the assessment covered only milk and ghee, and that testing of spices and other food items could reveal further serious deficiencies, calling for regular and systematic testing of food products nationwide.

The Minister directed the concerned authorities to develop a coordinated quality-control mechanism in consultation with the Provincial Food Authorities of all four provinces and to establish a clear framework for dealing with violators.

He stressed that enforcement action should target manufacturers responsible for producing substandard goods rather than retailers alone, adding that the broader objective was to improve product quality in a way that would also support export growth.

He further directed that the complete PCSIR report be forwarded to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFS&R) for necessary action, and ordered that a quarterly monitoring mechanism be put in place, with rural markets incorporated into the monitoring exercise.

Ahsan Iqbal observed that the deficiencies identified were not limited to nutritional shortfalls, noting that high trans-fat levels and the absence of essential vitamins pointed to deeper shortcomings in the products themselves.

He linked the unprecedented rise in heart attacks among young people to the availability and consumption of substandard food, and expressed concern that the poorest quality products were often reaching rural areas.

Addressing representatives of the regulatory authorities present, the Minister said they shared responsibility for protecting public health and maintaining confidence in regulatory institutions, adding that the objective was not to shut down industries but to improve product quality and ensure consumers receive safe, quality products.

LPG Pricing Gap

On the OGRA report concerning the gap between notified LPG rates and market prices, Ahsan Iqbal observed that nearly 80% of the population depends on LPG for household cooking, yet no effective mechanism existed to monitor its market pricing.

He directed the Minister for Petroleum to take up the matter and instructed the Ministry of Petroleum to formulate clear guidelines in coordination with OGRA, with both bodies directed to convene a meeting and resolve the issue within three days.

The Minister emphasized that effective coordination between federal and provincial institutions, regular scientific testing and strict enforcement remained essential to ensuring the availability of safe, quality food products and protecting consumers nationwide.

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