NEW DELHI: The ‘laddu prasadam’ provided on the sacred shrine of Lord Venkateswara in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, famend for its distinctive style, is cherished by devotees throughout India and past. These iconic laddus are meticulously ready within the temple’s kitchen, often called the ‘Potu.’
Making of Tirupati laddus
The preparation course of, known as ‘dittam’, dictates the precise elements and their portions.The recipe has solely been altered six instances in its historical past. In response to a 2016 TTD report, the laddus have a divine perfume. Initially, the boondi comprised of besan and jaggery syrup was created to extend the prasadam’s shelf life. Later, almonds, cashews, and raisins have been added to boost each taste and dietary worth.
‘3 Lakh laddus, Rs 500 crore gross sales’
Every day, TTD prepares and distributes round 3 lakh laddus at Tirumala, incomes roughly Rs 500 crore yearly from laddu gross sales.
Historical past
The providing of Tirupati laddus dates again over 300 years, beginning in 1715. In 2014, the Tirupati laddu acquired GI standing, stopping anybody else from promoting laddus beneath that identify.
High quality management
A state-of-the-art meals testing laboratory ensures the standard of every batch of laddus, which should include exact quantities of cashew, sugar, and cardamom, and weigh precisely 175 grams.
Presence of international fat
In July, lab exams revealed the presence of international fat within the ghee equipped by AR Dairy Meals, main TTD to blacklist the contractor and change to Karnataka Milk Federation.
Earlier, TTD was paying Rs 320 per kg for ghee from the blacklisted contractor, however now procures it at Rs 475 per kg from Karnataka.
The newest controversy
On Thursday, the Andhra Pradesh authorities beneath TDP launched lab stories displaying the presence of international fat, together with lard (pig fats), tallow (beef fats), and fish oil within the ghee equipped throughout the YSRC regime.
The evaluation, carried out on July 23 after complaints in regards to the laddu’s style, additionally discovered fat from vegetable sources like coconut, linseed, rapeseed, and cottonseed.
New IAS officer appointed
In June, the TDP authorities appointed senior IAS officer J. Syamala Rao as the brand new government officer of TTD. As a part of efforts to deal with the standard considerations, an inquiry was ordered into the problems with the laddu’s style and texture.
