NEW DELHI: India’s food regulator has issued a show cause notice to a Tamil Nadu-based company, which supplied ghee to Tirupati Balaji temple for making laddoos after animal fat was detected in four of its samples, official sources said on Monday.
The show cause notice was issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). It has asked the company to respond by September 23 to the charges.
The show cause notice, assessed by this paper, mentions why action should not be initiated against the firm AR Diary, one of the four companies that were supplying ghee to the famed temple in Andhra Pradesh.
The company came under scrutiny after a report from a Gujarat-based laboratory found that ghee samples used in the Tirupati temple laddus contained palm oil, fish oil, beef tallow, and lard (pig fat).
Official sources said the company supplied four samples for testing. “All four failed the test and animal fat was detected,” they added.
The show cause notice issued by FSSAI, said, "After analysis, the sample from your firm M/s. A R Diary Food Private Ltd (FSSAI Central License number 10014042001610) has failed to meet the parameters and your firm has been blacklisted by EO, TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)."
"By virtue of the above non-conformance of the product "Ghee" manufactured by your firm which is not meeting the standards, you have contravened the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Rules and Regulations made there under." The notice said.
"To show cause as to why, your Central License shall not be suspended for contravention of the above said provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011. The reply in this regard shall be sent by 23.09.2024 failing which suitable action will be initiated as per the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and Regulations made there under," the notice added.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Friday said he had spoken to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and sought a full report on the Tirupati laddoo controversy.
He said the centre would examine the matter and take suitable action.
The Chennai-based company has strongly denied the allegations of adulteration and has challenged the private laboratory's findings.
The laddoos are 'prasadam' offered to the deity at the famed temple. It is also provided to crores of devotees who throng the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Andhra Pradesh.