Since Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu alleged on September 18 that animal fat was used in preparing the famous Tirupati laddu during Jagan Mohan Reddy’s time in government, a burning question has emerged: Did crores of devotees unknowingly consume non-vegetarian laddus?
The allegation sent shockwaves through the devotee community, raising both spiritual and health concerns. Neither the NDA government nor the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust managing the temple, has provided a satisfactory answer to this pressing concern.
This convenient equivocation has sparked widespread confusion in traditional and digital media, particularly on social platforms where misleading and concerted communal narratives are being actively propagated, fuelled by the Hindutva ecosystem. Circulating images of unverified lab reports, purportedly proving the use of animal fat in the ghee for laddu preparation, have lent several questionable narratives a veneer of scientific legitimacy.
Despite this, dairy scientists have independently clarified that the fatty acid profile is more consistent with plant or vegetable oils. Furthermore, the show cause notice issued to AR Dairy Food Private Limited only alleges adulteration with plant-based oils, citing the presence of β-sitosterol – a plant sterol – rather than animal fats.
TTD’s conflicting press conferences
Two separate press conferences by the TTD executive officer referenced the same National Dairy Development Board CALF report, which revealed ghee adulteration with plant-based oils rather than animal fats. CALF is the Centre for Analysis and learning in Livestock and Food.
However, executive officer J. Shyamala Rao drew different inferences from the report in each conference – initially identifying vegetable fat adulteration, but later citing dangerously low ‘S’ values suggestive of animal fats. Dairy scientists clarified that the fatty acid profile was more consistent with plant oils like coconut and palm oil. Meanwhile, ghee traders confirmed that plant-based adulteration is common, as cheaper oils are often used to cut costs, making animal fat adulteration unlikely.
On July 24, J. Shyamala Rao held a press conference to address concerns about the laddu’s quality. He revealed that an National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) test had uncovered one supplier providing ghee adulterated with vegetable fat. As a result, one of the five suppliers was blacklisted for failing to meet quality standards. Action was taken against another company, with show cause notices issued to two suppliers in total.
At the same press conference, Rao acknowledged that TTD currently lacks a device for testing ghee quality, though plans are in motion to acquire one soon. He highlighted ongoing challenges in procuring raw materials and ghee for the laddu prasadam. To bolster quality control, TTD has formed a committee of dairy experts – dubbed the “Ghee Committee” – comprising Dr. Mahadevan from Bengaluru, Dr. Surendranath, Dr. Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy from Hyderabad, and professor Swarna Latha. This committee’s primary task will be to assess the ghee’s quality, with a particular focus on its aroma and overall integrity.
Lab tests revealed significant adulteration, but rather than animal fats, the tests suggested the use of cheaper vegetable oils, complicating Naidu’s allegation.
On September 20, J. Shyamala Rao held another press conference two days after Naidu’s allegations about the quality of ghee supplied to the temple. Following complaints about the poor quality of laddus, TTD had sent ghee samples to the NDDB in Gujarat for analysis. The results revealed that four out of 10 tankers from Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Food Private Limited – one of TTD’s five contracted suppliers – were highly adulterated. This led to the rejection of these shipments and the blacklisting of the supplier.
Citing the NDDB report, Rao highlighted that the ghee’s ‘S’ value – a key quality indicator – was alarmingly low at 19.72, far below the required standard of 98.68 to 104.32 indicating it contained dangerously high levels of foreign fats, including fish oil, beef tallow, and lard, as revealed by the lab tests.
Also read: How the Tirupati Laddu Lent Itself to Politics
Analysing fatty acid profiles and adulteration claims
Interestingly, the NABL report Rao referenced in the July 24 press conference is the same NDDB-CALF report he mentioned in the September 20 press conference. The NABL is India’s primary accreditation body for laboratories. The NDDB, established by an Act of Parliament, operates under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. NDDB’s CALF in Anand is a multidisciplinary analytical laboratory. In 2013, CALF received ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation from NABL, validating its competence and reliability.
The Wire has obtained access to this five-page NDDB-CALF report (plus annexure). The report details the results of a chemical analysis conducted by NDDB CALF Ltd. on a ghee sample labelled “TN02BB 2070”.
The analysis revealed key findings about the ghee’s fatty acid composition and adulteration tests, marked with # in the report. The Free Fatty Acid (Oleic Acid) level was 0.440%, well below the FSSAI maximum limit of 2.000%. Milk Fat content measured 99.618%, surpassing the minimum requirement of 99.500% set by IS 3509:1966. The Butyro Refractometer reading of 43.400 fell within the acceptable range of 40.000–44.000. Adulteration tests yielded negative results for both the Baudouin Test (no sesame oil detected) and the Mineral Oil Test (no mineral oil contamination found).
However, the analysis identified several fatty acids outside the specified ranges: Lauric Acid at 11.713% (permissible range: 1.500–4.000%), Palmitic Acid at 39.462% (exceeding the 38.000% upper limit), and Linoleic Acid at 5.538% (acceptable range: 0.500–3.500%). Other parameters showed a Moisture Content of 0.124%, well within the maximum limit of 0.500%. The Saponification Value of 241.952 exceeded the specified maximum of 235.000, suggesting the presence of fats with lower molecular weights than expected.
Understanding ghee composition and adulteration
A dairy scientist based in Canada, speaking to The Wire on condition of anonymity, confirmed that analysing the fatty acid profile can help assess the possibility of ghee adulteration with animal fat. “While animal fats, particularly beef tallow or pork lard, have distinct fatty acid compositions, the report does not provide conclusive evidence to either confirm or rule out this type of adulteration,” she said.
Expanding on the report’s inconclusive findings, she explained, “Lauric acid, commonly found in tropical oils like coconut oil, was detected in high amounts, making plant oils a more likely adulterant than animal fats. Similarly, palmitic acid, which is common in both dairy and animal fats, exceeded the permissible limit. However, this alone does not specifically indicate animal fat adulteration, as palmitic acid could come from either source.”
She further explained, “Ghee, derived from cow’s milk, is rich in short-chain fatty acids like butyric acid. The report shows that butyric acid was below the limit of quantification (LOQ), which could raise suspicions. However, if animal fats were present, we would expect to see more significant differences in other key fatty acids, such as stearic and oleic acids.”
“These two fatty acids are common in both animal and dairy fats. Stearic acid at 9.614% is within the expected range for ghee (8.000–19.000%), which suggests there is not a high amount of animal fat, as tallow and lard have higher stearic acid content. Oleic acid at 26.302% also falls within the expected range for ghee (19.000–32.000%).”
“The Reichert-Meissl Value (RM) is 29.010, well above the minimum limit of 24.000. While a low RM value could indicate the presence of non-dairy fats, such as animal fats, the high RM value here suggests that the sample contains a significant amount of dairy fat. The Polenske Value is 1.700, within the range of 0.500–2.000. This value helps distinguish animal fats from dairy fats, and the result does not raise any red flags for animal fat adulteration.”
Show Cause Notice: Allegations of Plant-Based Adulteration
The Wire also obtained access to the show cause notice issued by the TTD to AR Dairy Food Private Limited on July 27. The notice cites the lab test report from NDDB CALF Ltd. dated July 23, 2024.
The show cause notice does not accuse AR Dairy of adding animal fats to the ghee. Rather, it alleges adulteration with plant-based oils, citing the presence of β-sitosterol – a plant sterol. This evidence points to the addition of vegetable fats, not animal fats. The abnormalities in the fatty acid profile, particularly the high levels of Lauric and Linoleic Acids, also align with the use of vegetable oils such as coconut or palm oil, rather than animal fats.
The show cause notice raises objections on three parameters: saponification value, presence of β-sitosterol, and milk fat purity. “The saponification value of 249.644, which is outside the permissible range, suggests the presence of non-milk or foreign fats, indicating adulteration. Additionally, the high β-sitosterol value of 167.895 mg/kg, which should be absent in pure cow ghee, strongly indicates possible adulteration with vegetable oils, as β-sitosterol is a plant sterol commonly found in plant oils,” Velugoti Padmanabha Reddy told The Wire.
Reddy is the vice-chancellor of Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Tirupati, and a distinguished veterinarian, and renowned dairy and food safety researcher with over 35 years of multidisciplinary professional experience.
Also read: Explained: Chandrababu Naidu, the Tirupati Laddu, and Why the Fat Is in the Fire
He emphasised that the milk fat content was 99.618%, exceeding the required 99.5%. “Achieving 100% purity is virtually impossible,” he explained. “The standard for ghee is 99.5% milk fat, with the remaining 0.5% allowance for moisture and vitamins. In this case, the moisture content was a mere 0.124%, well below the permitted 0.5% – a clear indicator of good quality in that aspect.”
The show cause notice clearly does not accuse AR Dairy Food Private Limited of adding animal fats to the ghee. Rather, it alleges adulteration with plant-based oils, citing the presence of β-sitosterol – a plant sterol. This evidence points to the addition of vegetable fats, not animal fats. The abnormalities in the fatty acid profile, particularly the high levels of Lauric and Linoleic Acids, also align with the use of vegetable oils such as coconut or palm oil, rather than animal fats.
Misinterpretation of results: The complexity of ghee testing
When asked about EO Syamala Rao’s claim that the ghee’s ‘S’ value was dangerously low at 19.72, Reddy explained that these values come from highly sophisticated tests. “The fatty acid test is extremely complex and typically reserved for research, not routine analysis. It’s also quite expensive,” he noted.
“The ‘S value’ actually refers to the separation value. In chromatography, when you have a sample with, say, 25 acids, these compounds separate and travel at different rates, indicating their nature. It’s not saponification, but separation. Many people are misinterpreting it as the saponification value,” he clarified.
He cautions that these sophisticated chromatographic tests can produce false positives due to trace amounts of foreign substances. “With such advanced chromatographic separation, the chance of false positives at these levels is quite high. That’s why annexure-1 outlines the conditions under which these false positives might occur,” he explained. “These cutting-edge testing methods can be incredibly sensitive, often detecting minute traces that don’t necessarily affect the product’s overall quality or safety.”
Furthermore, he elaborated: “Consider this analogy: if someone claimed that breast milk contains pesticides, would you believe it? In reality, pesticides can be present in extremely minute quantities. Sophisticated chromatography tests might detect these trace amounts. Most people would dismiss the idea of pesticides in breast milk. However, if you send a sample to a high-tech laboratory for chromatographic testing, they might detect traces of pesticides, microplastics, or heavy metals. Does this mean breast milk is contaminated? I believe they’re essentially taking a minuscule finding and blowing it out of proportion.”
Ghee traders weigh in
The Wire also reached out to multiple ghee traders who confirmed that ghee is one of the most adulterated substances. “Ghee is generally mixed with vegetable oils or vanaspati for two reasons,” Nirbhay Doshi, a former ghee trader from Ahmedabad, told The Wire. “First, they’re usually cheaper than animal fats like beef tallow or fish oil. Second, while animal fats might maintain a similar flavour and texture, the aroma is a dead giveaway. Fish oil, in particular, can be easily detected by its distinct smell in the ghee.”
The Ghee Committee’s draft report, submitted to the TTD executive officer in early September and first accessed by news organisation South First, acknowledges sensory testing as crucial for quality control. This method assesses the ghee’s organoleptic properties—aroma, flavour, and texture. However, the report also highlights this approach’s inherent subjectivity.
“It’s virtually impossible for ghee adulterated with animal fats, especially fish oil, to pass TTD’s sensory testing, given the institution’s experience and carefully selected team,” Prof. Reddy told The Wire. “The aroma of the ghee is so well-known to both TTD and devotees that even the slightest change would raise suspicion.”
When asked about reassuring the millions of devotees, he categorically stated, “There’s no need to worry. TTD’s practices are safe, and devotees can have full confidence in them.” Despite Naidu’s political allegations, all evidence points toward the use of plant-based adulterants rather than animal fats, offering some relief to devotees concerned about the sanctity of their offerings.
