Controversy Surrounds Ghee Quality in Tirumala Temple Offerings

The quality of ghee used by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) for preparing ritual offerings, known as Naivedyam, to Sri Venkateswara Swamy at the renowned Tirumala temple, has come under scrutiny. According to a report from the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) located in Anand, Gujarat, the ghee contains “foreign fat.” This term refers to the presence of tallow, a rendered form of beef suet, and lard, which is derived from pig fat, as identified during the analysis.

The investigation was conducted by employing five “S-values,” mathematical equations designed to assess the purity of milk fat in dairy products. The report revealed that these values for the ghee samples were outside the internationally prescribed limits, suggesting the inclusion of various non-dairy fats like soybean, olive, sunflower, and others. The compliance with the standards of fat in milk products, as per ISO 17678:2019, was verified using gas chromatographic analysis of triglycerides. CALF conveyed its findings to the Water and Food Analysis Laboratory of TTD in July 2024.

The controversy escalated when the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, accused the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government at a meeting on September 18, of substituting animal fat for ghee in Laddu Prasadam during their tenure from 2019 to 2024. This accusation has sparked a political debate, with YSRCP MP and former TTD Trust Board chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy challenging Naidu to substantiate his claims. Reddy has threatened legal action for defamation if Naidu fails to provide proof, labeling the accusation as baseless and injurious to the religious sentiments of Hindus globally.