Kollur temple prasadam is now FSSAI-certified

Udupi: Under the Blissful Hygienic Offering to God (BHOG) scheme—an initiative started by the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists of India—prasadam served to devotees at Sri Mookambika Temple in Kollur received a quality certificate from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) (AFSTI). The temple was awarded this certificate for providing clean and hygienic "prasadam" to devotees. Every day, 5,000 to 7,000 devotees are offered "prasadam" during lunch at this temple. A team conducted an audit before issuing this accreditation, and the temple's cooking staff received training. This certificate was granted by FSSAI based on many considerations such as hygiene, ventilation, storage, and the use of clean water during food preparation, according to Dr Premanand, designated officer, FSSAI, Udupi.

Other well-known temples in the Blissful Hygienic Offering to God (BHOG) plan include Kukke Sri Subrahmanya, Sri Manjunatha Swamy Temple, Dharmasthala in DK district, and Marikamba Temple, Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district. Devotees of Goddess Mookambika at Kollur, according to Dr Premanand, come not just from Karnataka, but also from other states and countries. Everyone is given a free lunch in the form of "prasadam." He claimed that certifying the "prasadam" would ensure its quality and hygiene for the worshipers. Before recommending the FSSAI certification, the auditing team examined how the temple's kitchen is designed and maintained, as well as the flooring and other amenities. The staff had also highlighted how well the kitchen's leftovers were disposed of. The team noticed that the cook never used the same oil twice when frying the food, ensuring quality.