Amid mounting controversy surrounding the world-renowned Tirupati laddu, the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has alleged that substandard ingredients and animal fat were used in its preparation. On Thursday, TDP spokesperson Anam Venkata Ramana Reddy claimed that a lab report from Gujarat-based NDDB CALF Ltd confirmed the presence of “beef tallow,” “lard” (pig fat), and fish oil in the ghee samples used for making the laddu.
At a press conference, Reddy displayed the purported lab report, which showed that the ghee samples tested had been received by CALF (Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock & Food) on July 9, 2024, and the report was dated July 16, 2024. The report’s findings have intensified the debate over the authenticity of the ingredients used in the preparation of the famous sweet.
CALF is a multidisciplinary analytical laboratory under the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) located in Anand, Gujarat. Despite the claims made by the TDP, there has been no official confirmation from either the Andhra Pradesh government or the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees the operations of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.
The controversy first arose when Andhra Chief Minister and TDP leader N. Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government of using substandard ingredients and animal fats in the production of the Tirupati laddu, a sacred offering at the temple. The YSR Congress Party has strongly denied these allegations, dismissing them as baseless.
As the debate continues, the authenticity of the lab report and the ingredients used in the preparation of the Tirupati laddu remain points of contention, with no official confirmation yet from the concerned authorities.