Food adulteration rate highest in the capital: DFTQC

KATHMANDU, Aug 31: Despite strict market monitoring and screening of food products at quarantine labs before their entry to the country, Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) has found that food adulteration in the capital is on the rise.



Food adulteration rate in the capital increased to 20.8 percent in fiscal year 2011/12, up from last fiscal year´s 19.3 percent, according to DFTQC. The rate of adulteration was only 15.6 percent in the year 2009/10. [break]



Lab tests of food samples collected by the department showed that 20.8 percent of the samples collected from the capital were adulterated. Similarly, 11.3 percent of the total of 3,560 samples collected across the country was adulterated.



Jivan Prabha Lama, director general of DFTQC, said high rate of food adulteration in the capital may due to high concentration of industries here.



According to a report prepared by DFTQC, rate of adulteration is high in water, milk, butter, ghee, lentils, spices and cooking oil. Lab tests showed pH level was low in water samples collected by the department.



Similarly, the samples contained Coliform bacteria. Similarly, acid value and refractive index was not proportionate in oil. RM value of ghee was lower than the standard set by the government. Veterinary drug residue was milk samples. The tests also showed substandard products were mixed in lentils, spices and cooking oil.



Bimal Dahal, office chief of Food Quarantine Lab, Kakarbhitta, said adulteration may be due to the carelessness of the entrepreneurs and the tendency of making fast bucks.



Based on the findings, DFTQC filed 200 cases against companies involved in adulteration of sensitive food through District Administration Office (DAO) in 2011/12. "We are also in the process of registering cases against 123 other traders and manufacturers,” informed Lama.

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