u/manishbalyan

Saw this question come up a few times, figured I'd explain since I've gone deep into this.

Most supermarket ghee is what's called cream/malai ghee — cream separated straight from milk via centrifuge, then boiled down. Few hours, done. Bilona ghee starts from curd (fermented milk first), then hand-churned and slow-cooked — the whole batch takes 36-48 hours.

That fermentation step is the actual difference, not just "old is gold" tradition talk. It's why bilona ghee tastes a bit tangy and deeper compared to the flatter, milder taste you get from cream ghee. Ayurveda's been saying fermented stuff digests better for ages — I won't pretend I've got a clinical study to wave at you for that specific point, just old practice + it lining up loosely with what's known about fermentation in general.

One thing worth doing — actually check the label next time. A lot of "pure ghee" on shelves is cream ghee that never saw fermentation. Both get to call themselves ghee legally, they're just not the same thing.

Saw a few posts here worrying about fake/adulterated ghee — figured I’d share what I’ve learned.
Simple checks: melt a spoon in a pan — pure ghee melts fast and turns golden with a nutty smell; adulterated versions often take longer, smell flat, or leave a waxy residue. Rubbing a small amount between palms — pure ghee absorbs and doesn’t leave a greasy film for long. Iodine test (few drops on melted ghee) — turns bluish if starch/vanaspati is mixed in.
None of these are lab-grade, but they catch the obvious fakes. If you want certainty, check if the brand publishes actual lab reports (NABL-accredited) rather than just claiming “pure” on the label.

Coming from a 9-year frontend engineering background, I thought the hard part would be the tech/website side. Turns out that was the easy 10%.

We make traditional Bilona ghee from A2 cow and buffalo milk — the whole thing started because it was genuinely hard to find ghee made the old way, without shortcuts. Every batch is lab tested (NABL-accredited) and we put the reports up publicly, which honestly created more work than I expected — sourcing consistency, seasonal supply swings, and educating people on why this costs more than supermarket ghee.

Also branched into Choorma using the same ghee, inspired by Haryana/Western UP flavors — that side project taught me shelf-life and packaging is its own nightmare.

Happy to answer questions if anyone’s exploring — learned a lot the hard way.