"Well almost 20 percent of consumable goods including food items and water available in the market are tainted," said Pramod Koirala, an officer with the Department of Food technology and Quality Control (DFTQC).[break]
According to Koirala, the department entrusted to monitor the market and control possible sale of substandard, adulterated and hazardous goods in the market has carried out inspections, collecting samples from 419 outlets in different parts of the country.
"Our finding was shocking. More than 80 samples related with food items were found either substandard or adulterated. Those were unfit for consumption," said Koirala. He said the department has filed cases against all those 80 producers and retailers.
Adulteration was still worse in case of liquid consumable goods like milk, bottled water, and edible oil.
According to Jiwan Parva Lama, Director General of DFTQC, the department has planed to work actively on liquid consumable goods. In the festive season, DFTQC was conducting inspections daily but in recent days it has not been able to do so, she added.
"But it doesn´t mean DFTQC is not doing any inspection in recent days. We are doing inspection once in week," said Lama.
"Main objectives of DFTQC is to maintain safety and quality of food and feed products in the country by implementing relevant food and feed regulations and improve nutritional status of the people through food-based approaches," Lama told Republica.
DFTQC is bringing in mobile inspection vans later this month to bolster its regular inspections.
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