TDB bid to keep Appam and Aravana safe

Offerings from Sabarimala to comply with food safety standards

Appam and Aravana to be sold from the Sabarimala temple would adhere to food safety measures, including Good Manufacturing Practises (GMP) soon.

Besides putting in place the GMP, it has been proposed to introduce Hazard Analysis at Critical Control Points (HACCP) at Sabarimala. The Centre for Food Research and Development (CFRD), Konni, has drawn up food safety plans for the hill shrine, which is visited by thousands of devotees each season.

The effective implementation of the food safety measures would go a long way in eliminating possibilities of food contamination in Appam and Aravana and at Annadanam, free food offered to the devotees.

The food safety systems could be made operational within a fortnight on order from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), said M.K. Mukundan, CFRD director.

P. Venugopal, TDB Commissioner, conceded that there were complaints of poor quality of Appam and Aravana sold from the temple. It was following these complaints that the board decided to assign the job of ensuring food safety measures to the CFRD. The system would be in place during the forthcoming pilgrim season.

Health card

The CFRD will check the samples of raw materials brought to the temple for preparing the sacred offering. Sanitary surveys would also be carried out. A health card for workers engaged for the preparation of the offerings would be prepared to ensure that the health and hygiene parameters are not compromised. Swabs would be taken from the workers to test them for contagious diseases, Dr. Mukundan said.