No Compromise on Ghee Quality: EO
TIRUMALA, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024: In the wake of the controversy raging over the samples of ghee used by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) in the preparation of ritual offerings to Sri Venkateswara Swamy, the presiding deity of the world famous Tirumala temple, and Laddu prasadam and contained fish oil and beef tallow (rendered form of beef suet) and lard (fat drawn from the abdomens of pigs) together called ‘foreign fat’ going by an analysis report of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB)’s Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) located at Anand in Gujarat, TTD Executive Officer J Syamala Rao said that the TTD will ensure the sanctity of the most sought after Laddu Prasadam offered to the presiding deity by using pure cow ghee.
Talking to newsmen in Tirumala on Friday, the EO said that there would not be any compromise on the quality of the ghee used for making laddus as millions of pilgrims from across the globe visit the Tirumala temple shrine to have darshan of Sri Venkateshwara Swamy with utmost devotion and there is every need to protect the sanctity and divinity of Tirumala Divyakshetram and Laddu Prasadam.
He said that Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has clearly stated that the quality and taste of Laddu prasadam needs to be ensured and sanctity to be restored by using pure ghee as it involves the sentiments of millions and millions of devotees across the globe. Following this, we started focusing on improving the quality and taste of laddus ever since the new TTD administration took over. After receiving feedback from pilgrims over the poor quality of laddus in the last five years and also interacting with the Potu workers (laddu makers), for the first time TTD send ghee supplies to an outside land for adulteration testing.
There were five supplies of Ghee to TTD and the rates were between Rs 320 to Rs 411 per kg. The names are Premier Agri-Food, Kriparam Diary, Vaishnavi, Sri Parag Milk and AR Dairy. Prima facie these rates are not viable rates for supplying Pure ghee. All have been warned by the new Administration to ensure quality ghee otherwise samples will be sent to outside labs for testing for adulteration and will be blacklisted if found positive.
Even after warning, four ghee tankers sent by AR Foods were prima facie found to be of substandard quality. The S-value analysis carried out on the sample sent to the reputed NDDB CALF Anand, fell outside the standard limits, suggesting the presence of foreign fats such as soya bean, sunflower, palm kernel fat or even lard and beef tallow. The acceptable S-value range for pure milk fast is between 98.05 and 104.32, but the tested sample showed values ranging from 23.22 and 115, reflecting significant deviations. These samples also indicated the presence of vegetable oil contamination.
Now the reason for the lack of quality is not having an in-house lab. The supplies took advantage of these deficiencies. The NDDB has come forward to donate Ghee adulteration testing equipment which will cost Rs 75 lakhs equipment which is likely to come up by December or January 2025 as the permanent solution, he maintained.
The TTD temporarily stalls cow-based products used for making Srivari Prasadams. The EO also stated that complaints are pouring in from the devotees over the taste and quality of Anna Prasadams. Therefore, the TTD has formed a committee of experts and found that there are deficiencies in quality. Supplies were temporarily suspended. After a thorough examination with experts, a decision will be taken whether to resort to the same or not. Additional EO Ch Venkaiah Chowdhary and others were also present.
In the meantime, the Karnataka Milk Federation clarified that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board has not purchased ghee (clarified butter) from them for the last four years. It added that it began supplying Nandhini Ghee for Tirupati laddus only after Chandrababu Naidu’s government came to power in Andhra Pradesh.
