Shirdi 'prasad' gets ISO certification

The 'prasadalaya' of the renowned Saibaba temple here has bagged an ISO 22000-2005 certification for food safety, an official said on Sunday.

The certificate was handed over to Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust chairman and district judge Jayant Kulkarni during the 95th 'punyatithi' (death anniversary) of Saibaba, a saint who lived and preached in the region in the late 19th and early 20th century.

ISO 22000-2005 specifies requirements for a food safety management system where an organization in the food chain must demonstrate its ability to control safety hazards to ensure that food is safe during consumption.

According to temple officials, on an average, the Saibaba shrine, 285 km from Mumbai, daily attracts around 25,000 devotees.

This figure swells during special occasions like the ongoing 'punyatithi' function. Over two million devotees have converged for the three-day event ending Monday.

The temple provides a free packet of its popular laddoos to each devotee as Saibaba's blessing. Additional laddoos can be purchased for Rs.20 for a packet.

Besides, the 'prasadalaya' provides meals for devotees at nominal charges.