8th April 2025, Kathmandu
Kathmandu Metropolitan City has launched a mobile food testing laboratory. This lab helps inspect food safety directly in the field. It aims to ensure the quality and hygiene of food items in public places.
Kathmandu Mobile Food Testing Lab
The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) partnered with Kathmandu Metropolitan City on this project. Together, they plan to inspect food businesses across the city. The mobile lab can conduct over 24 different types of food tests.
First Use in Hospital Canteens
The lab was first used at two hospital canteens in Thapathali. These included Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital and Norvic International Hospital. After this trial, joint inspection teams from Kathmandu Metropolitan City and DFTQC will continue visits to other food establishments.
These teams will check hygiene standards, collect samples, and test food immediately. This method speeds up the process and helps authorities act quickly.
Lab Equipped with Modern Tools
The mobile lab has several advanced devices. It includes a Rapid Pesticide Residue (RPR) detector. This tool checks for harmful pesticide levels in fruits and vegetables.
A Gerber Centrifuge measures fat content in milk. Another tool, the Milk Adulteration Kit, detects added soda, sugar, salt, or glucose in milk. A Lactometer checks the solid-not-fat (SNF) level in milk.
The lab also tests water. The Water Adulteration Kit finds ammonia and residual chlorine. A pH meter checks the acidity of drinking water.
Other devices include a sample-weighing balance, a water bath for preparing samples, and a moisture balance to measure water content in food.
Joint Monitoring for Safer Food
The project is part of a formal agreement between Kathmandu Metropolitan City and DFTQC. It focuses on making food clean, fresh, and safe. The mobile van will move around different markets and food outlets.
Each inspection will involve a team of food technologists, microbiologists, and experts. They will test the food on-site and provide immediate feedback. This system helps improve public health by identifying unsafe food early.
Past and Future Inspections
Earlier, Kathmandu Metropolitan City had collected food samples from various locations. These were sent to DFTQC’s National Food and Feed Reference Laboratory for testing. The results are still pending.
According to Kathmandu Metropolitan City food technologist Bharti Adhikari, the mobile lab now allows quicker results. It also improves transparency and accountability in food businesses.
Shree Ram Neupane, a food research officer at DFTQC, said the lab will be crucial in monitoring public food outlets. It helps detect problems quickly and take action without delay.
Conclusion
The mobile food lab is a major step toward improving food safety in Kathmandu. It supports regular market monitoring and quick testing. Kathmandu Metropolitan City and DFTQC will continue joint inspections to promote clean and quality food in the city.
Authorities encourage all food vendors to maintain high hygiene standards. They also urge the public to remain aware and informed about the food they consume.
For more: Kathmandu Mobile Food Testing Lab