English
Tirupati temple’s ‘adulterated’ laddoos triggered a widespread debate after it shocked not only the citizens but politicians too who have got engaged these days in blame games. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu targeted previous Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government for using beef tallow and fish oils in making of laddoos. Instead of pure ghee, fats of beef were used in laddoos, he alleged.
Corroborating the same, a lab report of July 2024 cited that the collected sample of laddoos have lard (pig fat) and fish oils. The question is being raised as to why beef tallow and fish oils were used in making laddoos?
What is Beef Tallow?
Beef tallow is prepared with the help of its fatty tissue. The makers simmered the fatty tissue and prepared it to use in deep frying as it has the property of high heat tolerance. The beef tallow looks like soft butter. The process involved rendering of fats present around the kidney as it has a long shelf life too.
Beef tallow is a cheap ingredient and it is used to handle high temperatures. Lard (pig fat) is also similarly rendered from the pig fats.
If experts are to be believed, consumption of lard and beef tallow is safe but its alleged use in making laddoos has drawn flak from all quarters.
