The Mysore-based Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI), under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), will help maintain the highest standards of quality and nutritional value of all food items and sacred prasadam of Lord Venkateshwara Temple at Tirumala in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, officials said on Tuesday.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which runs the Tirumala temple, has entered into a memorandum of understanding with CFTRI for this purpose in the wake of the recent controversy over the alleged supply of adulterated ghee used in preparing the sacred Tirupati laddu during the previous regime.
The agreement was formalized during the Research Innovation for Startups and Entrepreneurship (RAISE) conference held in Bengaluru in the presence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday evening. Its Director General (Procurement), Uma Shankar, signed the agreement on behalf of TTD, TTD spokesperson Thalari Ravi said.
As part of the agreement, senior scientists from CFTRI will regularly visit TTD facilities and provide technical guidance, scientific recommendations and research-based support. Their expertise will help the TTD team implement best practices in food processing, quality control, preservation and distribution.
The joint teams will develop and implement stringent quality control standards, standard operating procedures and monitoring mechanisms covering procurement, preparation and distribution processes.
“The MoU is expected to strengthen TTD’s efforts to provide reliable and quality services to millions of devotees who visit the holy hill shrine every year, while setting a new standard for temple food management systems in the country,” the spokesperson said.
This is the first time such a collaboration has been established between the temple administration in India and a leading food research institution. The initiative aims to preserve the traditional character of Lord Venkateshwara’s prasadam while adopting scientific measures to further enhance food quality, safety protocols and nutritional standards.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi emphasized the need to encourage research, innovation and adoption of indigenous technologies across sectors.
“Enhancing manufacturing capabilities through scientific and technological advancement will help TTD achieve the highest standards in food and prasadam quality,” he said.
The TTD spokesperson said CFTRI will advise on improving warehousing, testing and procurement processes, and recommend scientifically validated technologies and best practice workflows to reduce contamination risks and improve consistency.
“Packaging and interventions will be developed that rely on research in the field of packaging and shelf life to increase stability without compromising authentic taste, texture or cultural value,” he said.
He added that CFTRI will also provide structured training to TTD’s in-house food analysts and processors in advanced analytical techniques, sampling protocols, contaminant detection and specialized assessments such as ghee purity and odor profiling.
