Kathmandu: The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control has recently activated its mobile food laboratory, a crucial tool for conducting on-site inspections of food products. After six years of inactivity, the mobile food lab, officially launched on October 2, has been intensively deployed across the Kathmandu Valley for the testing and monitoring of food safety.
The “Well Equipped Laboratory Mobile Van” was acquired to conduct field inspections of food-related products, and its operation has brought a significant boost to food safety enforcement in the region. The mobile lab allows for rapid and efficient testing of food items as they enter the Valley, ensuring compliance with quality standards.
Tests conducted included checks for external contaminants such as soda, sugar, urea, and starch, but all the milk samples were found to be clean and safe for consumption.
Earlier, the mobile food lab had been used to test food products in a variety of locations within the Valley, including sweet shops, food stores, hotels, and restaurants. This initiative is part of ongoing efforts by the department to ensure food safety and prevent the sale of adulterated or substandard products to consumers.
The activation of the mobile food lab has been welcomed as an important step in enhancing food safety oversight in Nepal, particularly as the demand for faster and more flexible inspection methods increases.