The Mysore-based Central Food Technological 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 prasadams of Lord Venkateshwara temple at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district, officials said on Tuesday.
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The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which administers the Tirumala temple, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CFTRI to this effect in the wake of the recent controversy over the alleged supply of adulterated ghee used in the preparation of the sacred Tirupati laddu during the previous regime.
The agreement was formalised during the Research Innovation Startups and Entrepreneurship (RAISE) Conference held in Bengaluru in the presence of Union minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday evening. On behalf of the TTD, its general manager (procurement), Uma Shankar, signed the agreement, TTD official 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 assist the TTD in implementing best practices in food processing, quality control, preservation and distribution.
Joint teams will develop and implement rigorous quality-control standards, standard operating procedures and monitoring mechanisms covering procurement, preparation and distribution.
“The MoU is expected to strengthen TTD’s efforts to provide reliable and high-quality services to millions of devotees visiting the sacred hill shrine every year, while also setting a new benchmark for temple food management systems in the country,” the spokesperson said.
This is the first time such a collaboration has been established between a temple administration in India and a premier food research institution. The initiative aims to preserve the traditional character of the prasadam of Lord Venkateshwara while adopting scientific measures to further strengthen food quality, safety protocols and nutritional standards.
Speaking on the occasion, Union minister Pralhad Joshi emphasised the need to encourage research, innovation and the adoption of indigenous technologies across sectors.
“Strengthening manufacturing capabilities through scientific and technological advancements will help the TTD achieve highest standards in the quality of food and prasadams,” he said.
The TTD spokesperson said CFTRI would advise on upgrading storage, testing and procurement processes, recommending scientifically validated technologies and best-practice workflows to minimise contamination risk and improve consistency.
“Research-led packaging and shelf-life interventions will be developed to extend stability without compromising authentic taste, texture or cultural value,” he said.
CFTRI will also provide structured training for TTD’s in-house food analysts and handlers in advanced analytical techniques, sampling protocols, contaminant detection and specialised assessments such as ghee purity and aroma profiling, he added.
