Ambaji:  Samples of ghee from Mohini Caterers Agency, which makes Mohanthal in Yatradham Ambaji, have failed. The food department took ghee samples from Ambaji, which have failed. The food & drugs department had seized 180 cans of ghee before Bhadravi Poonam. Ghee samples were then sent for testing. After that, when the report came, the samples failed. Mohini Caterers makes mohanthal prasad in Ambaji and uses ghee. The district collector has also blacklisted the contractor making prasad in the temple.

Mohini Caterers prepares Mohanthal Prasad of Ambaji Mandir. A box of 15 kg means a total of 3000 kg of ghee failed the laboratory test. About this, Banaskantha District Collector said that during the Bhadravi Poonam fair there is a lot of demand of prasad, so a large amount of ghee is consumed for making of prasad. A sample of ghee was taken by the Food and Drug Department on August 28 and it has now failed. We had sealed this entire stock. We have not used any ghee from this quantity. After this, we talked to Banas Dairy and arranged the required quantity of ghee. All the ghee used throughout the fair, all the items used are of high quality. According to the rules, the Food and Drugs Department will take action. The label on this quantity was Amul’s. It also had a quantity of Saras dairy from Rajasthan. The report of the additional samples taken on the 15th is yet to come.

Meanwhile Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) has in a note stated that Sabar Dairy affiliated to Amul Federation has filed a police complaint in Ambaji police station against Mohini Caterers and other unidentified persons associated with the supply of substandard ghee and falsely representing it as Amul Ghee.

A note released by Sabar Dairy stated – ‘Media reports have brought to light an incident involving the collection of ghee samples by the Food and Drug Control Administration from the revered Ambaji temple just one day before the Bhadarwi Poonam festival. The samples failed to meet the required quality standards during laboratory testing. As a result, the 180 ghee tins supplied by Mohini Caterers were sealed.’

‘The ghee tins bore the Amul labels and mentioned that they were packed by Sabar Dairy. However, Sabar Dairy has categorically and vehemently denied the same. Investigations have revealed that the ghee tins supplied by Mohini Caterers to the temple trust bore duplicate labels of Sabar Dairy.’

‘Sabar Dairy has already taken legal action by filing an FIR against Mohini Caterers and other unidentified persons associated with the supply of substandard ghee and falsely representing it as Amul Ghee, at the Ambaji Police Station on September 30.’

‘The FIR clearly mentions that the batch numbers, tin specifications, and labels on the sealed ghee tins do not conform to the quality standards established by the Amul Federation. The evidence clearly shows that Mohini Caterers knowingly supplied substandard ghee to the temple trust and tried to malign Amul’s reputation.’

‘Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) Managing Director Jayen Mehta said that no dairy union affiliated with the Federation is engaged in such activities. He reiterated that the Amul ghee available in the market is authentic and of high quality.’