Amid Tirupati laddu controversy, Rajasthan launches special campaign to ensure prasad quality

Jaipur: In light of the ongoing controversy surrounding the presence of animal fat and fish oil in Tirupati temple laddus, Rajasthan's Food Safety Department will launch a special campaign from September 23 to 26. The initiative aims to assess the quality of bhog and prasad offered at temples across the state.

During this campaign, samples of the regular offerings, known as Savamani, and prasad will be tested for safety and quality.

Additional Commissioner of Food Safety Department, Pankaj Ojha said: "This investigation will be done under the campaign 'Shuddh Aahar, Milawat Par Vaar' in Rajasthan on the initiative of the Chief Minister. In this, all the big temples where prasad is made daily in the form of bhog, the quality of various food items will be checked."

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recently introduced a certification program for bhog under its 'Eat Right' initiative. This program provides certificates to vendors who sell prasad and food items at religious sites, ensuring they meet food safety and hygiene standards.

So far, 54 temples and religious venues in Rajasthan have registered for the Bhog Certificate through the Food Safety and Drug Control Department in Jaipur. Notably, the Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple in Jaipur was the first to receive this certification. Prasad offered at certified locations is guaranteed to adhere to FSSAI standards for quality and safety.

The Bhog Certificate is subject to renewal every six months, following an audit. The FSSAI team conducts thorough inspections of the temple kitchens to ensure compliance with safety standards before issuing a report.

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