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| - Last Updated on October 8, 2024 by Team THIP
Quick Take
A social media post claims a report is out saying that Tirupati temple laddoos contain fish oil and animal fat. We fact checked and found the claim to be Mostly false.
The Claim
An Instagram reel from the account dailygkfacts_ is claiming that the lab report on Tirupati laddus has been published, indicating that the laddus contain fish oil and animal fat.
Fact Check
What are the allegations about the preparation of Tirupati laddoos?
A Lab Report has been doing the rounds on social media claiming that laddoos that are served as prasad in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati temple contain animal fats and fish oil. Andhra Pradesh’s Chief Minister had earlier accused the YSR Congress government of using animal fat and substandard ingredients for laddus.
Foreign fats, including palm oil, fish oil, beef tallow, and lard from pig fat, were found in the ghee of the Tirupati laddoos, said a report from NDDB CALF, a private laboratory that tests animal feed and dairy products.
Did the dairy company use adulterated ghee in the laddoos?
Not yet sure. A.R. Dairy has been identified as one of the suppliers of ghee to the Tirupati temple in Andhra Pradesh. This comes after four of the company’s samples failed to meet food safety standards.
In response to the criticism, A.R. Dairy said that the temple requires 10 tonnes of ghee every day, and they supplied less than 0.1 per cent of that amount. A.R. Dairy uses advanced technology to test milk quality and rejects all that fails to pass, while asserting that the ghee is tested at national laboratories before being shipped to TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams), where it is again inspected for quality by the food safety officer of the temple.
Furthermore, there is no conclusive evidence that the ghee was adulterated with fish oil. Despite claims of adulteration that include vegetable oil and animal fat, the dairy representative rejected claims that fish oil was used, considering it to be much costlier than ghee and quite detectable by smell.
Dr. Sathish Kumar, the designated officer for the Food Safety Department in Chennai speaking to media mentioned that adulteration with animal fat or fish oil is “impossible to disguise” since they are highly detectable through taste and smell.
Is animal fat present in the tirupati laddus?
Not conclusive evidence. The matter is sub-judice and investigation is still underway.
The supreme court said “Lab Report Doesn’t Prima Facie Show Impure Ghee Was Used” means that, based on an initial review of the lab report, there is no clear or obvious evidence indicating that impure ghee was used in the making of Tirupati laddoos.
The Supreme Court ordered an independent investigation into the allegations. The investigation team (SIT) will include two CBI officers, two Andhra Pradesh police officers, and a senior officer from FSSAI. The Supreme Court expressed concerns about the report cited by the Andhra government to support their claim. The court also questioned the chief minister’s claim, saying that it was not appropriate to make such a statement that could affect the sentiments of people.
Did the lab report indicate the presence of adulterated ghee in the Tirupati ladoo?
No! The widely circulated lab report stated no evidence that the adulterated ghee tested was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus.
The report was straightforward: it identified the sample as ghee. The ghee was from a company that is supplier to the Tirupati temple. The ghee was adulterated. But there is no conclusive evidence that the same ghee was used for preparing laddoos.
On October 4, it was quoted by the Supreme Court that at present no evidence is forthcoming that animal fat has been used for the making of the laddoos. The court orders the formation of an independent Special Investigation Team to investigate various charges levelled against it, alleging that unadulterated ghee and other sub-standard materials were used in tirupati laddoo. On September 30, last date of hearing occurred. We will update the article as and when any development in the matter take place.
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