Sun Sep 22 03:52:08 UTC 2024: ## Ghee Supplier Disputes Adulteration Claims, TTD Takes Legal Action
**Tirupati, India:** A controversy has erupted over the quality of ghee supplied to the revered Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the temple’s governing body, has taken legal action against AR Dairy Food Private Limited, a Tamil Nadu-based company, alleging adulteration of ghee supplied to the temple.
The TTD claims that samples from four out of ten tankers of ghee supplied by AR Dairy were found to be “highly adulterated.” This announcement came after complaints about the declining quality of laddus, a popular temple offering, prompted an investigation.
However, AR Dairy has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “unsubstantiated.” Kannan, a quality control officer at the company, emphasized that AR Dairy has been operational since 1998 with a strict quality control process, including rigorous testing of milk and ghee samples in national laboratories before dispatch to TTD.
He questioned the transparency of the sample collection process and emphasized that the addition of substances like fish oil, claimed by the TTD, would be readily detectable by smell and taste.
The controversy has sparked debate with the Food Safety Department in Chennai, while adhering to FSSAI guidelines for food adulteration detection, refusing to comment on the specifics of the case. They confirmed that the use of animal fat or fish oil would be easily recognizable through smell and taste.
The TTD’s legal action and AR Dairy’s counterclaims highlight the seriousness of the allegations. The outcome of the investigation will have significant implications for the temple’s reputation and the quality of its offerings.
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