Recently, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat was used to prepare the GI tagged laddu prasadam at Tirumala.
- The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) manages the famous Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Tirumala.
- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, citing a lab report, claimed that fish oil and beef tallow were found in the ghee procured during the previous regime.
- Later, TTD executive officer also claimed that lab tests at National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) had revealed the presence of animal fat, ‘Lard’ (pig fat) and other impurities and the board was in the process of blacklisting the contractor who supplied ‘adulterated’ ghee.
- He highlighted that the suppliers took advantage of lab deficiencies at Tirumala, who supplied ghee between ₹320 and ₹411 and called this price band as unviable for supplying pure cow ghee.
- According to the NDDB report, the S-value analysis of the sample fell outside the standard limits, suggesting the presence of foreign fats such as soya bean, sunflower, palm kernel fat or even lard and beef tallow.
- The acceptable S-value range for pure milk fat is between 98.05 and 104.32, but the tested sample showed values ranging from 19.72 to 117.42, reflecting significant deviations.
- S-value is a mathematical equation used to determine the purity of milk fat.
Fact content in milk
- According to WHO, fat constitutes approximately 3 to 4 percent of the solid content of cow milk, protein about 3.5 percent and lactose 5 percent, but the gross chemical composition of cow milk varies depending on the breed. For example, the fat content is usually higher in Bos indicus than B. taurus cattle. The fat content of milk from B. indicus cattle can be as much as 5.5 percent.
- Buffalo milk has a very high fat content, which is on average twice as high as that of cow milk.
- Camel milk has a similar composition to cow milk but is slightly saltier. Camel milk is richer in vitamin C than cow milk and represents a vital source of this vitamin for people living in arid and semi-arid areas, who often cannot obtain vitamin C from fruits and vegetables.
- Sheep milk has higher fat and protein contents than goat and cow milk; only buffalo and yak milk contain more fat.
