Introduction:
Just yesterday, the media highlighted the alarming discovery of adulterants, including beef oil and pig fat, in the sacred Laddu Prasadam at the renowned Lord Balaji Temple in Tirupati, India’s richest religious site. The scandal sparked a national outcry, accompanied by political bickering and media frenzy.
However, on the same day, another equally distressing news piece barely received attention: the Madhya Pradesh government’s abysmally low spending of just ₹8-12 per child to provide “nutritious” meals to undernourished children. This program is intended to improve health and ensure proper physical growth, but the allocated budget clearly fails to meet basic nutritional standards.
In the midst of the public uproar and political mudslinging, the core question remains—are we, as a nation, genuinely serious about ensuring the quality and safety of the food we consume and provide to future generations? How is it that unscrupulous individuals, fueled by ever-growing greed, have been able to manipulate the system for decades—if not centuries—escaping legal consequences and continuing to thrive as so-called “respectable” members of society?
In this blog, we delve deeper into the roots of food adulteration in India, its long-standing history, and the failure of our systems to hold culprits accountable. It’s time we shed light on this issue and push for real, meaningful change.
The Infamous Case of 1970s-Jain Shudh Ghee
I am reminded of my younger days of 1970s, One of the more infamous instances occurred in the 1970s, when large quantities of beef tallow were imported under liberalized policies, primarily for use in soap and vanaspati (plant based ghee). By allowing the use of beef tallow to be used in the manufacture of Vanaspati ghee under the liberalized economic policies of the government, just for cost control, the Government itself became a party to playing with intrinsic value system of this primarily vagetatrian nation. The Vanaspati ghee, by its very name, was supposed to be a plant-based product, primarily made from hydrogenated vegetable oils like palm or soybean oil.
The liberalization policies aimed at increasing the availability of food products and reducing the cost of production. This shift led to the inclusion of cheaper alternatives like beef tallow in Vanaspati ghee production. Beef tallow, being a by-product of the meat industry, was inexpensive compared to plant oils, and this cost-saving measure was implemented despite the religious and ethical concerns in a country like India where a large section of the population follows vegetarian diets or practices that prohibit beef consumption. Further, Companies, like Jain Shudh Vanaspati, exploited these loopholes to blend beef tallow into products marketed as pure ghee. Although this sparked public outrage, convictions were rare, and key players often escaped lasting penalties. Despite being ethically prohibitive, such practices become technically legally acceptable and result in nothing beyond momentary public outrage and media trumpeting. Such events spark sparked outrage when it came to light, as consumers feel misled, and cultural and religious sensitivities momentarily wake up and then slip into a deep slumber. I am lead to state so because in the 1980s, while investigations were launched, in the above case, the slow judicial process and the influence of political connections allowed many culprits to evade justice. For example, despite the discovery of the importation of over 50,000 tonnes of beef tallow in the early 1980s, very few importers faced long-term consequences. Even though there were arrests and penalties, the system’s failure to hold powerful individuals accountable allowed them to continue their operations (As reported in India Today).
Since these instances keep repeating with more and more intensity without any credible action, it appears to me that neither us, nor our administrative and legal system nor our political class is serious to curb it.
Government’s Liberalised Policy of 1978
The following account is based on an article from the archives of India Today.
The import of beef tallow was a direct outcome of the import-export policy adopted in 1978, which was accepted by the Congress (I) Government after its return to power in 1980. Implementing the recommendations of the committee headed by Dr. P.C. Alexander—then commerce secretary and later principal secretary to the prime minister—the Government liberalised procedures by publishing only lists of banned and restricted items. Goods not on these two lists were deemed to be under the Open General Licence (OGL).
Since 1968-69, mutton tallow imports were canalised through the State Trading Corporation (STC). Subsequent policies were silent on beef tallow until the Central Government discovered in June 1981 that some traders were importing beef tallow. It is worth mentioning that the largely vegetarian population had the right to know the ingredients used in the manufacture of Vanaspati Ghee, but this transparency was not provided.
Apathy of Bureaucracy and Political Class, and Nontransparency from Public
It is hard to believe that an enlightened bureaucrat like Shri P.C. Alexander, who led the committee, or a seasoned politician such as Chaudhary Charan Singh, who was the Union Minister in the Janata regime, were unaware of the insensitivity of allowing imports of mutton tallow for use in the manufacture of Vanaspati Ghee for a largely vegetarian population. This issue extended to the import of beef tallow due to the silence on the matter. Furthermore, even after the regime change in January 1980, under the ministership of another senior politician, Rao Birendra Singh, the decision remained unchanged. This highlights the insensitivity and lack of transparency of the political class towards the general public in the world’s largest democracy.
Although the Commerce Ministry restricted beef tallow imports through the State Trading Corporation in June 1981, companies like Jain Shudh Vanaspati had already contracted large quantities, creating public uproar when the imports were revealed. While demands for stricter regulation surfaced, the laxity of the system and slow legal recourse allowed adulteration to persist.
Continued Controversies:
Even in the 2000s, cases of synthetic ghee made from beef tallow and stearine surfaced. Consumers were deceived with additives that mimicked the essence of desi ghee, while adulteration in paneer and other dairy products became widespread. Recent raids have uncovered the use of harmful substances like skimmed milk powder, palm oil, and detergents in dairy products, posing serious health risks to consumers.
Despite the media highlighting these issues and occasional crackdowns, meaningful legal action is often delayed, and real convictions remain scarce. Profit motives and corruption continue to triumph over consumer safety.
State as Well as Centre not concerned about Consumer Safety -Even Child Health
The persistent apathy and failure of successive governments—both at the state and central levels—suggest that while policies may have been well-intentioned, their implementation has been consistently lax. Leadership over the years has shown little urgency in enforcing regulations, resulting in insufficient oversight and a lack of transparency in food governance. At times, there has even been insensitivity to the public’s cultural beliefs and concerns. The recent controversy surrounding the Laddu Prasadam is not just an emotional issue but a symptom of deeply entrenched practices and negligence.
More concerning, however, is that the welfare of our future generations is also at risk, particularly in tribal areas where parents cannot afford proper nutrition for their children. An example of this neglect is detailed below.
Madhya Pradesh Government and Malnourished Children:
I was deeply disturbed by another recent report showing that the Madhya Pradesh government allocated only ₹8-12 per child for meals designed to meet the nutritional needs of malnourished children.
According to reports, around 5 million children are registered under the state’s Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), with approximately 6 lakh children identified as severely malnourished and 13 lakh categorized as moderately malnourished.
To better understand the gravity of the situation, it’s crucial to compare the government’s allocated spending with the actual nutritional requirements of children. According to the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), the recommended daily intake for a moderately active child aged 4-6 years is around 1,690 calories, which should include essential nutrients like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
In Madhya Pradesh, where the government allocates only ₹8-12 per child for meals, the provided food barely meets even half of these nutritional needs. A balanced meal that includes cereals, pulses, vegetables, and dairy products typically costs upwards of ₹25-30 per day, according to studies conducted by the Centre for Policy Research. The current allocation, therefore, leaves a significant gap between what is provided and what is necessary to ensure proper physical and cognitive development.
For instance, one meal under the current program often lacks essential protein sources like pulses or dairy, which are critical for muscle growth and immune function in young children. The absence of adequate vitamins and minerals—especially iron and calcium—further exacerbates the issue, leading to long-term health consequences such as anemia, stunted growth, and weakened immunity.
This stark disparity underscores the insufficiency of government spending. In fact, experts argue that a minimum budget increase of 50-70% is needed to meet even the basic dietary requirements of malnourished children in the state. Without this, the program risks becoming a mere formality, failing to address the root causes of child malnutrition.
The state spends approximately ₹2,000 crore annually on nutrition and related services for these children, but experts estimate that an additional ₹1,000-1,500 crore is necessary to meet their basic nutritional needs. This funding gap, however, is met with excuses from the state government, which blames the lack of central funding rather than prioritizing child nutrition in the budget.
The Way Forward
India’s food adulteration crisis demands a multi-faceted approach:
- Stricter Enforcement: Tougher food safety regulations, harsher penalties, and swifter legal actions must be enforced to deter offenders.
- Technology for Transparency: Digital tools and AI should be leveraged to track food quality and identify adulteration in the supply chain.
- Civil Society Participation: Civil society organizations should create a website with periodic test results of all food products from leading brands to enhance transparency for the public.
- Consumer Awareness: Public education campaigns should raise awareness about the risks of adulteration, encouraging consumers to report violations.
- Stakeholder Involvement: Consumers must have a stake in policymaking, particularly on issues tied to cultural and religious food preferences, such as the import of beef tallow.
- Corporate Accountability: Major food producers should be incentivized to adopt strict self-regulation measures to ensure product integrity and maintain consumer trust.
Addressing food adulteration requires collaboration among the government, businesses, and consumers to enact meaningful change.
Conclusion:
As a concerned citizen of this great nation, which boasts a rich cultural and spiritual heritage, it is disheartening to witness the ongoing exploitation and degradation of our food systems even after more than seventy-five years of independence. The very essence of nourishment—both for the body and the soul—is being corrupted through rampant adulteration, from everyday meals to the sanctity of prasadam.
This menace demands immediate and uncompromising action. If we fail to uproot these unethical practices, the problem will only fester. It’s time we prioritize integrity and safety in our food supply by imposing severe consequences on offenders, restoring trust, and safeguarding the health and spiritual well-being of our citizens.
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