Kathmandu. Kathmandu Metropolitan City, in collaboration with the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, has started operating a mobile food laboratory for market monitoring related to food services.
On Thursday, KMC Deputy Mayor and Monitoring Coordinator Sunita Dangol launched the collection and testing of food samples from the maternity hospital and canteen of Norvic Hospital in Thapathali.
In that process, the joint inspection team inspected the food hygiene and quality of the places where food businesses were operated, and conducted on-site testing and analysis of food samples. Taking information about the work to be done by the mobile laboratory, Deputy Chief Dangol said that fact-based information will be obtained from the mobile laboratory to protect consumer rights through food hygiene.
Talking about the results to be obtained from this, she said, ‘The mobile laboratory will create an important foundation for formulating scientific programs for the clean food business.’
Somakant Rijal, Deputy Director General of the Food Technology and Quality Control Department, expected qualitative results to be obtained through the cooperation of the KMC. The monitoring and inspection of the canteen (Sunil Canteen) of the Paropkar Maternity and Gynecology Hospital, the staff canteen (Manakamana My Canteen), the hospital’s kitchen that prepares free lunches, soups and other meals for patients, and the Cafe Care Pvt. Ltd. of Norvic Hospital were monitored.
During the monitoring, on-site samples of milk, water and edible oil were collected and tested from the Sunil Canteen and Manakamana Canteen. The quality of these food items was found to be as per the standards through the mobile laboratory tests.
A sample of the pickles taken from the canteen has been sent to the National Food and Feed ‘Reference’ Laboratory of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control for testing. A sample of cream dunut taken from the Cafe Care of Norvic Hospital has also been sent to the ‘Reference’ laboratory.
According to Bharati Adhikari, ‘Food Technologist’ of KMC, meat and meat products were found to be kept together with vegetables and greens in the cafeteria of the Gynecology Hospital. He informed that the gas stove and refrigerator were found to be in a dirty condition and personal hygiene was poor.
According to him, the use of unlabeled food ingredients and improper use of ‘synthetic’ colors were found.
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