TIRUPATI: The TDP government in Andhra Pradesh publicly released laboratory analyses of cow ghee samples supplied to the Tirumala temple trust for preparing the renowned Tirupati laddu prasadam during the tenure of the YSRC government. The results revealed the presence of foreign fats, including lard (clarified pig fat), tallow (beef fat), and fish oil.
The samples also contained fats from vegetable sources such as coconut, linseed, rapeseed, and cottonseed. This analysis was conducted on July 23 after the government received complaints regarding a change in the taste of the laddu prasadam.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ignited a significant controversy on Wednesday when he informed NDA allies that animal fat had been found in the ghee used for the laddus during the YSRC’s time in power. The YSRC vehemently denied these allegations, calling them a political stunt by Naidu.
The analysis was performed by the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), which noted that there is a possibility of false positive results under certain circumstances. The report outlines several conditions that could lead to inaccurate results, including overfeeding cows with feed rich in vegetable oils, underfeeding, or subjecting the milk to technological treatments like cholesterol removal.
The report does not clarify whether the adulterants were intentionally added or introduced through feeding conditions and other factors. Naidu’s allegations and the NDDB’s findings have alarmed millions of devotees of Lord Venkateswara worldwide, as the Tirupati laddus are regarded as Maha Prasadam and hold significant sentimental value.
In June, the TDP government appointed senior IAS officer J. Syamala Rao as the new executive officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees the temple complex. As part of efforts to streamline operations, an inquiry was launched into the alleged decline in quality, taste, and texture of the laddus.
The TTD established an expert committee to assess the quality of the prasadam. The committee members include Dr. B. Surendranath, former principal scientist at the National Dairy Research Institute in Vijayawada; Bhaskar Reddy, a dairy expert; Prof. B. Mahadevan from IIM-Bangalore; and Dr. G. Swarnalatha from Telangana Veterinary University.
In addition to recommending several measures to the TTD to restore the taste and quality of the laddus, the committee also sent samples of the ghee to the NDDB in Gujarat. The lab reports, issued in July, confirmed the presence of foreign fats. In response, the TTD returned the ghee stocks supplied by AR Dairy Foods from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, and blacklisted the contractor. The TTD then chose the Karnataka Milk Federation as the new supplier of ghee.
TTD sources indicated that while cow ghee was previously procured from the blacklisted contractor at ₹320 per kg, the Tirupati trust is now acquiring ghee at ₹475 per kg from the Karnataka federation.
Every day, the TTD prepares and distributes approximately 300,000 laddus to devotees at Tirumala. Annually, the trust generates around ₹500 crore from laddu sales alone.
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