Food Dept. inspects 128 facilities ahead of festivals

The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC), along with its regional offices, has intensified market monitoring ahead of the upcoming Dashain, Tihar and Chhath festivals.

According to spokesperson for the DFTQC Mohan Krishna Maharjan 128 food industries and businesses were monitored in the past couple of weeks of September as per the provision of Food Safety and Quality Act, 2081. The inspection covered 61 grocery stores and marts, 41 hotels and restaurants, 24 food industries, and 2 dietary supplement stores.

In Lalitpur, 23 food companies were monitored. The Dhapakhel-based Pachali Bhairav Water Processing Udhyog was temporarily shut down after failing to meet the Directives on Production of Processed Drinking Water 2074. Samples were collected from the industry and the facility was sealed. Similarly, Sunrise Nepal Food and Beverages Pvt Ltd, in Tokha Municipality-6, was found operating without a renewed license and illegally filling jars under a different brand. The processing room was sealed, and the company was instructed to renew its license.

In another inspection, Arjun Dairy Pvt Ltd, located in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-11, New Baneshwar, was sealed after contaminated butter, ghee, and cheese were found and destroyed in its facility. The discarded items included 240 kg of butter, 25 kg of cheese, and 44 kg of ghee.

In Godawari Municipality-11, Lalitpur, 95 kg of substandard ghee was destroyed, while ‘Parvati Food Products’ in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-9, Sinamangal, saw the destruction of 80 kg of ghee and 30 kg of butter due to low score in quality-analysis. In addition, various food items, including six expired bags of chowmein, 60 kg of mislabeled or improperly stored food, two kg of over-colored puri, four kg of biscuits, biryani masala, honey, millet flour, and 51 bottles of drinks, totaling an estimated worth of Rs 10,850, were destroyed.

The department has asked food vendors to maintain hygiene and quality standards, ensuring proper labeling, cleanliness, organized storage, and the separation of expired products.