Uniform procedure for checking quality of prasadam, food likely for major temples

The state government, in association with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, would finalise such procedures (SOPs), an official stated on Friday.

Food safety authorities stress the need for a quality check of ingredients like raw rice, cooking oils, dal, ghee etc at the time of procurement itself. Their proper storage is also important. There also has to be controls on preparation of food for the devotees at Nitya Annadanam or Annadanam facilities, and for the making of prasadam like laddu. This would help avoid use of adulterated or substandard ingredients that cause trouble to the devotees.

Meanwhile, food safety authorities inspected the major temples having facilities like kitchen to prepare and serve food in the form of Annadanam and prasadam, in Srikalahasti, Annavaram, Dwaraka Tirumala, Vijayawada and Srisailam. They collected samples of cooking oil, tamarind, chilli powder, salt, cooked food and prasadam.

Some 20 samples from the five temples were sent to the food lab Hyderabad for analysis.

Food safety joint controller Poornachandra Rao said, “There is a proposal to develop SOPs for food preparation in temples. We are inspecting temples to check the quality of food and prasadam and will initiate action once we get lab reports.”