Members of Hindu organisations stage a demonstration at Garuda Circle, the entry point to Tirumala hills, in Tirupati on September 26, 2024. Photo: Special Arrangement

The story so far: Laddu prasadams from the temple town of Tirupati have left a bad taste after reports that the ghee from cow milk, the traditional ingredient, may have been adulterated with fat from multiple sources including beef tallow.

What are the allegations?

A technical report from the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) of the National Dairy Development Board, which analysed samples of ghee supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, the manager of the shrine, found that it was adulterated.

There was fat from soya bean, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, linseed, wheat germ, maize germ, cotton seed, fish oil, coconut and palm kernel fat, palm oil, beef tallow and lard.

Editorial | Politicising the laddu: On the Tirupati laddu and its ‘adulteration’

While allegations that adulterated ghee was being used for preparing the prasadam have been swirling for months, it was the first time that animal fat — from beef and pigs — was mentioned by no less than Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandrababu Naidu, at a public forum.

What’s the process to find out if milk fat is adulterated?

Milk fat, like all organic fats, consists of triglycerides. They are glycerols connected to fatty acids and the carbon chains that constitute them are a characteristic feature of triglycerides. There are ‘short chain,’ ‘medium chain’ and ‘long chain’ fatty acids defined by the number of carbon atoms in these chains. Milk fat has more than 400 structurally different fatty acids and can combine in various ways to form thousands of triglyceride molecules. Thus, triglyceride patterns in cow ghee differ from the ghee made from goat milk, lard, soya bean or other vegetable oils. Given that cow ghee is expensive, adulterating it with cheaper fat is an age-old practice, and an array of methods have evolved to detect adulteration. For precision, the state-of-the-art method in the dairy industry is the use of gas chromatography. This method can be used to separate the chemical constituents of a sample mixture made up of organic compounds. These machines are expensive and can cost ₹30-40 lakh but are the standard in reputed outlets. Much like an electrocardiogram generates a signal of oscillating waves meant to represent heart beats, the result of a gas chromatography analysis of a sample of ghee is a characteristic wave form that shows the proportion of different types of triglycerides. Pure cow ghee has a characteristic pattern different from vegetable oil or lard (pig fat).

For adulteration analysis, the German scientist Dietz Precht, in 1991, came up with a set of five equations. Each of them generated an ‘s value’ (standard value) and can be used to determine specific adulterations. The value from s1 points to adulteration with soya bean, sunflower oil, rapeseed, fish oil; s2 to coconut and palm kernel fat; s3 to palm oil and beef tallow; s4 to lard and s5 to the total adulterated fat in a given specimen. For a ghee sample to be pure cow ghee, all five of these values must lie in a specified range that’s within a window of 3 or 4 points to 100. However, even if one of these values lies outside the prescribed range, it points to the presence of a ‘foreign fat.’ This process is the standard protocol recommended by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and followed in reputed Indian laboratories such as CALF.

What did the analysis of fat in the Tirupati laddus find?

Two samples of cow ghee were tested. All of the values (s1-s5) in both samples were outside their prescribed ranges. For example, in one of the samples, the s3 value —linked to palm oil and beef tallow — was 22.43, out of the prescribed range of 95.9 to 104.1. However this alone doesn’t indicate the presence of beef tallow. “Although individual s-values (i.e. s1, s2, s3 & s4 ) are more sensitive for certain foreign fats than the general s-value (s5), the positive result obtained in only one s-value does not allow to draw a conclusion on the type of foreign fat,” says a review of the Precht method in the Indian Journal of Dairy Science in October 2023 by K.D. Aparanthi, of the Anand Agricultural University, and co-authors. “…In actual practice, particular foreign fat generally remains unknown, since most of the foreign fats are identified by the method as a group and not as a particular foreign fat (except lard). [The] same problem also arises when a blend of foreign fats is mixed in milk fat.” Moreover, the number in this case, s3=22.43, doesn’t denote a percentage or the quantity of a substance. Under the prescribed tests, the intrusive ‘foreign’ fat can be calculated when the ‘s’ values exceed 100. This isn’t the case for s3, here.

Are there established methods to differentiate the sources of fat?

There are mathematical ways to interpret the individual ‘s’ values to determine the presence of specific kinds of fat but these haven’t been specified in the CALF report. While these methods were developed for European cows, applying it to Indian bovines could require changing the ‘s’ values. These can be calculated only after a database on the biochemistry of ghee in Indian cows, which may have different genetics, and Indian tallow is known. “There is wide biological variation within a species. However, using spectography methods we can accurately detect the nature and percentage of adulterants provided good baseline data, specific to Indian conditions, is available,” Dr Madhusudhan Rao, scientist at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad told The Hindu.

Hyderabad:

The Lord Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati was “purified” Monday amid the row over animal fat – fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat) – in ghee used to make the laddoos, or devotional offerings, ‘fed’ to the deity and given to devotees.

An army of priests performed a ‘maha shani homam‘ at the temple that is widely seen as one of the holiest sites in Hinduism. Temple officials said the ceremony will “ward off ill-effects of adulteration and restore sanctity of laddoos as ‘prasadam‘, and ensure devotees’ well-being”.

Syamala Rao, the Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam – the government trust that runs the temple – said rituals lasted four hours starting 6 am, with special focus on the kitchen that makes the laddoos. He also said the new system of procurement, of ‘pure cow ghee’, had been changed, and this had led to “improved taste of laddoos and other prasadam” from the temple.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu – whose Telugu Desam Party kickstarted the row last week, backed by a July 17 lab report from Gujarat indicating animal fat in ghee samples from the temple kitchen – has ordered a special police team to investigate this matter.

#WATCH | Andhra Pradesh: TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) organised a Maha Shanti Homam in the wake of Laddu Prasadam row.

Executive officer of Tirumala Tirupathi Devastanam (TTD) Shamala Rao and other officials of the Board participated in the Homamam along with the… pic.twitter.com/Gkh7JFeljT

— ANI (@ANI) September 23, 2024

“Many not-so-sacred things were done over the last five years,” he said darkly, declaring non-Hindus would not be allowed on the temple management board.

Apart from the question of animal fat in ghee, Mr Naidu has also accused former TTD Chairperson, Bhumana Karunakar Reddy – an ex MLA with the YSR Congress of former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy – over irregularities connected to temple management.

The temple’s ex EO, Dharma Reddy, a civil servant, was also accused; in April the centre extended Mr Reddy’s deputation from the Indian Defence Estates Service by six weeks.

The Chief Minister has also accused his predecessor, Mr Reddy, of favouritism in appointing senior temple management officials, a charge the YSR Congress leader has denied.

Amid the bitter squabbling and claims and counterclaims, Mr Reddy on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi denouncing Chandrababu Naidu as a “pathological liar” and accused the Chief Minister of hurting the beliefs of crores of people “for political objectives”.

READ | “C Naidu Habitual Liar”: Jagan Reddy Writes To PM Amid Laddoo Row

On the specific claim of animal fat in ghee, Mr Reddy said a tanker containing (the possibly adulterated) ghee had arrived at the temple in July but was rejected. “Robust practices in place for decades (at the) TTD could identify the questionable quality (of the ghee) …” he said.

READ | Suppliers Exploited Lack Of In-House Testing Facility: Tirupati Temple Body

“(at the temple) three samples are tested from every tanker, and only after (all) three pass is the ghee be used… if even one sample is substandard the tanker is rejected…” he explained.

The under-fire ex Chief Minister also red-flagged disclaimers in the lab report, which says the findings may be voided if “the milk fat… is obtained from cows which received an exceptionally high feeding of pure vegetable oils, cotton or palm oils…” and other similar preconditions.

Earlier, Mr Reddy criticised the “false report” and accused Mr Naidu of “using faith for politics”.

Meanwhile, Mr Naidu’s deputy, Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan, has set himself a 11-day fast as ‘penance’ and the Bharatiya Janata Party – with whom the TDP and Jana Sena are allied at the centre – has demanded a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry.

READ | Pawan Kalyan To Go On 11-Day ‘Penance’ In Tirupati Laddoo Row

Mr Kalyan began his ‘penance’ on Sunday at a Lord Venkateswara temple in Guntur district.

“If a church or mosque was involved… this would have caused a national uproar. Why are Hindus expected to not raise issues…” the Deputy Chief Minister asked.

The union government has also gotten involved; last week Health Minister JP Nadda has demanded a detailed report and Food Minister Pralhad Joshi said the issue of “desecration” of the Tirupati temple and the Hindu faith will be taken seriously, and “to its logical end”.

READ | Health Ministry Wants Report As Tirupati Laddoo Row Escalates

Also, a PIL, or public interest litigation, has been filed in the Supreme Court, seeking a special team to investigate the alleged use of animal fat in the ghee, which, it was argued, violated Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees all Indians right to freedom of religion.

NDTV Explains | How Are Tirupati Laddoos Made? How Are Ingredients Procured?

The temple kitchen makes around three lakh laddoos daily, with around 1,500 kg of ghee and vast amounts of cashew nuts, raisins, cardamoms, gram flour, and sugar used. Reports indicate the ghee was bought from a supplier in Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul.

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New Delhi:

In January, during the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, 300 kilograms of ‘prasad’ from the Tirupati temple was distributed to devotees, confirmed Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the temple. This revelation comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in ghee in the preparation of laddoos at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati, managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

“If animal fat was mixed in the ‘prasad’, it is unforgivable. Strict action should be taken against those responsible,” Mr Das said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

The TTD revealed that the lab report confirmed the presence of lard and other impurities in ghee used by a contractor. An official stated that the contractor responsible for supplying adulterated ghee had been blacklisted and legal proceedings were initiated.

The row began when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu first raised concerns about the quality of the ‘prasad’, alleging that animal fat was used during the tenure of the previous YSRCP government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Mr Naidu accused the YSRCP regime of purchasing substandard ghee at cheaper rates, which compromised the sacredness of the Tirupati laddoos.

In response, former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy dismissed these allegations as “diversion politics” and a “concocted story” aimed at shifting focus from the current government’s failures.

The issue intensified after lab reports, commissioned by the TDP, backed Mr Naidu’s claims. According to these reports, the ghee samples tested showed traces of animal fats, including beef tallow, lard, and fish oil. The temple management confirmed that four separate tests revealed similar results, prompting immediate action to halt supplies from the blacklisted contractor.

Mr Naidu, in a public address, announced that new suppliers of pure cow ghee, including the Nandini brand from Karnataka, have been engaged to restore the sacredness of the laddoos. The former chief priest of the Tirupati temple, Ramana Deekshitulu, also expressed concerns over the issue, stating that he had previously raised the matter with the TTD management to no avail.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi have both called for investigations and have sought reports from the Andhra Pradesh government. The TTD has assured devotees that the purity of the laddoos has now been restored, and steps have been taken to ensure that only the highest quality ingredients are used going forward.

Bengaluru:

Amid controversy over the use of animal fat in ghee at the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh, the Karnataka government on Friday issued a directive mandating the use of Nandini brand ghee in all 34,000 temples that come under the state’s temple management body. 

The Karnataka government’s new directive requires that all temples under its jurisdiction use only Nandini ghee, produced by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), for temple rituals, including lighting lamps, preparing ‘prasada’, and in the ‘Dasoha Bhavans’ – places where devotees are served food. The official circular stressed that temple staff must ensure that the quality of ‘prasada’ is never compromised.

“In all the notified temples under the Religious Endowment Department of Karnataka State, it has been directed to use only Nandini Ghee for services, lamps, and preparation of all types of prasada and in Dasoha Bhavan. It has been suggested to maintain the quality in the prasada prepared in the temples,” the circular reads.

This directive comes in the wake of a larger controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in ghee in the preparation of laddoos at the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirupati, managed by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The controversy first erupted earlier this week when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu raised concerns over the quality of the ghee used at the temple, claiming that samples had tested positive for lard and other animal fats.

The Tirupati temple kitchen, which produces around 3 lakh laddoos daily, requires enormous quantities of ingredients, including 1,400 kg of ghee, along with other essentials like cashew nuts, raisins, cardamoms, gram flour, and sugar. The bulk of the ghee in question was reportedly sourced from Tamil Nadu’s Dindigul district.

The row quickly escalated as opposition leader Jagan Mohan Reddy found himself under fire. Accusations flew that during his tenure as Chief Minister, the ghee used to make Tirupati laddoos had been substandard, with claims of animal fat being used instead of traditional ghee. Mr Reddy vehemently denied these allegations, accusing the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) of exploiting the issue for political gain.

The controversy reached the Supreme Court shortly after, with a petition being filed, claiming that the use of animal fats in temple food violated Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of religion and practice. The Health Ministry quickly demanded a detailed report on the issue, and Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi called for a thorough inquiry, insisting that “the culprit should be punished.”

As tensions mounted, temple authorities accused their ghee supplier of exploiting the temple’s lack of in-house food testing facilities. They argued that the absence of proper quality control had made the temple vulnerable to such scandals. Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd, which had supplied ghee to the temple in June and July, defended itself, claiming that its product had passed multiple lab tests and constituted a mere 0.01 per cent of the temple’s ghee supply.

The controversy spiralled further when a report from a Gujarat state-run lab surfaced, indicating that samples of the ghee used in the Tirupati temple tested positive for fish oil, beef tallow, and lard – a form of pig fat.

“Even Tirupati laddoo was made with substandard ingredients… they used animal fat instead of ghee,” said Chief Minister Naidu. 

He vowed that his administration had since raised the quality standards for all temple ingredients, and announced that the temple would undergo a thorough sanitisation process. His son, Andhra IT Minister Nara Lokesh, added fuel to the fire by saying that the row had been triggered by an anti-corruption probe into the procurement of ghee and vegetables used for temple food.

In response, the YSRCP, headed by Jagan Mohan Reddy, launched a counterattack, accusing the TDP of a political vendetta. Former TTD Chairperson YV Subba Reddy called the allegations “unimaginable,” and ex-Chairperson Karunakar Reddy claimed the scandal was part of a smear campaign.