The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) has recently mobilised a mobile food laboratory van (Mobile Food Lab) to conduct on-the-spot inspections of food items across the Kathmandu Valley.
After being idle for six years, the Mobile Food Lab was launched on September 30 to allow field inspections of food products. On November 10, the department used the van to test milk at the Jagati checkpoint, a key entry point to the valley.
In response to complaints about milk quality, the lab tested 280 litres of milk from Bhaktapur’s Chundevi, 360 litres from Sanga, 800 litres from local farmers in Kavre’s Banepa, and 125 litres from Banepa Budwal, checking for contaminants like soda, sugar, urea, and starch, with all samples passing quality checks.
Previously, the Mobile Food Lab inspected sweets, food stores, hotels, and restaurants across the valley.
During the festive season alone, between October 9 and October 28, the Mobile Food Lab conducted 32 inspections, targeting food industries and businesses. Eight inspections were of food industries, and 24 were of food businesses, including hotels and restaurants.
The lab carried out preliminary on-site tests of 88 samples, including sweets (38), processed milk (12), edible oils (12), drinking water (12), clarified butter (2), beverages (2), honey (2), and salt (1). Among the businesses inspected, 8 were found to have irregularities, leading to further investigation and actions under the Food Hygiene and Quality Act, 2081 BS, according to DFTQC spokesperson Mohan Krishna Maharjan.
Outside of the mobile lab’s activities, the DFTQC inspected 312 food-related establishments across the country, including 105 food markets, 105 food industries, and 102 hotels and restaurants.
Additionally, during the Dashain and Tihar festivals, the department seized and destroyed food items worth approximately Rs 444,000 due to expired dates, incomplete labelling, or lack of food permits.
Two more mobile food lab vans purchased under the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Modernization Project are undergoing maintenance and will be operational soon.
The mobile lab has made inspections more efficient, allowing for immediate action, says spokesperson Maharjan. “Previously, we had to collect samples, take them to the office, wait 2-3 days for results, and then return to the shops for follow-up. Now, with the mobile lab, actions are taken instantly, which has also raised awareness among business owners,” he told OnlineKhabar.
