Puri: Amid a row over the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati laddu in Andhra Pradesh, the Odisha Government decided to test the quality of ghee being used at the Jagannath Temple in Puri. 

The decision has been taken to prevent possible adulteration in preparation of Mahaprasad at the 12th-century temple in the state. 

"Although there has been no allegation reported regarding the quality of ghee being used in making of Kotha Bhoga (Prasad for deities) and Barati Bhoga (Prasad on order) at Srimandir, we will examine the standard of ghee. As there is a possibility of adulteration of ghee, we will discuss with the Omfed, the supplier of ghee to Srimandir, as well as the Suara and Mahasuara Nijog of the temple for making the ghee standardised," said Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain today. 

The temple servitors also welcomed the move to examine the standard of ghee being procured from Omfed.

"Earlier, adulterated ghee was used for selling deepa (diyas) on the premises of the Srimandir. That was restricted. We will request the temple's chief administrator for a complete test of the ghee used in the temple," said Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, the chief Badagrahi of Lord Jagannath. 

"If the quality of ghee will not be verified, the faith of devotees will be put at stake. The devotees should be assured that the ghee used in the making of Mahaprasad for Lord Jagannath is 'standardised', he added. 

"It is necessary to examine the ghee being used to prepare varieties of prasad at the Jagannath Temple. The devotees can know about the quality of ghee if the district administration conducts a quality test on the ingredient," said a devotee.