Beef fat and fish oil used to make laddus at Tirupati temple: Lab report

In a shocking revelation, lab test report findings have revealed that beef fat, fish oil and palm oil were being used to make laddus distributed as prasad at the famous Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday alleged that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used in making the famous Tirupati laddus, a sacred sweet, during the previous YSRCP government. However, the party (YSRCP) has rejected the claim.

The report has revealed in its findings that the ghee used to make the iconic Tirupati laddu prasadam during the previous YSRCP government was found to contain traces of animal fats, including beef fat and fish oil, leading to massive outrage and allegations of disrespecting religious sentiments.

The report from the Centre for Livestock and Food Analysis and Studies or CALF’s laboratory at the National Dairy Development Board in Gujarat has revealed the presence of animal fats in the ghee used to make the famous Tirupati laddus when the YSRCP was in power. The report indicated that the ghee contained traces of fish oil, beef fat and tallow; the last being a semi-solid white fat product obtained by melting the fatty tissue of pigs.

The Tirupati laddu is distributed at the iconic Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, which is run by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). During a party meeting on Wednesday, the chief minister claimed that the laddus were made with substandard ingredients.

State IT Minister Nara Lokesh also criticised the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy government over the issue. “Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala is our holiest temple. I was surprised to know that the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy administration used animal fat instead of ghee in Tirupati prasadam,” he said.