CHENNAI: The popular Nellaiappar Temple in Tirunelveli and Sankaranarayanar Temple in Sankarankoil have received Blissful Hygiene Offering to God (BHOG), a quality certificate issued to temples by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The BHOG certificate is issued with an objective of ensuring safety and quality of ‘prasadam’ and other eatables distributed to devotees. While a few temples in the northern States had received the certificates last year, the Nellaiappar and Sankaranarayanar temples are the first in South India to get the certificate.
The temples were given the certificate recently after the HR&CE department fulfilled the FSSAI standards. The process of issuance of BHOG certificate began with a pre-audit by a FSSAI-authorised external food safety consultant called ‘Parikshan’.
During the pre-audit, the empanelled agency looked into various parameters such as cleanliness at kitchen, availability of infrastructure to prepare quality prasadam, cleanliness of vessels, pest control system, lightening facility at kitchen and awareness levels of quality among temple employees.
In addition, standard of ingredients and lab testing of water used for preparing prasadam and adherence to labelling regulations of packed food items were also studied. A report was given to temple authorities to rectify the defects found during the pre-audit. After the HR&CE administration resolved the complaints pointed out, Parikshan conducted a final audit.
“After the agency submitted a report recommending the certificate, top officials conducted a final inspection at the temples, following which BHOG certificate was awarded,” M Jegadish Chandra Bose, Designated Officer, FSSAI, Tirunelveli, said. The auditing agency will inspect the temples once in three months to monitor standards.
While the Tirumala Tirupati Temple is yet to get the certificate, two temples in Tirunelveli have received it, making them the first in South India, Bose added. Though FSSAI notified the launch of BHOG certification for temples in late 2017, the project gained momentum in 2019.
Explaining the significance of the certificate, a senior FSSAI official said the quality tag now would ensure that the packed prasadam such as murukku, laddu and athirasam sold at temples carry an expiry date along with MRP.
“The use of used cooking oil for preparing prasadam, which is rampant several places of worship, will be completely eliminated. The prasadam will be suitable for consumption by the elderly and children,” the official added.
The pre-audit has been completed in all major temples across the State, but certification process hit a roadblock owing to the pandemic. The eatables offered to devotees at temples have been covered under the Food Safety Act and the FSSAI has been issuing licence to temples and contractors who manufacture prasadam since January 2018.