KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has begun testing the quality of over two dozen food items through its newly operational mobile food testing laboratory.
According to Bharati Adhikari, food technician at KMC, the mobile lab was first deployed to test food items served at the canteens of Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital and Norvic Hospital in Thapathali.
The initiative is part of a collaborative effort between KMC and the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, following a formal agreement signed between the two entities. Under the partnership, a joint team is conducting on-site hygiene and food quality inspections at various food businesses operating within the capital.
The mobile laboratory is equipped with advanced testing tools, including devices for detecting pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables, milk adulteration kits, lactometers, water adulteration kits, and pH meters. These instruments enable the team to conduct instant analysis of samples collected directly from the market.
“This mobile lab allows for real-time testing and results, enhancing our capacity to monitor the quality of food being consumed by the public,” said Shree Ram Neupane, Food Quality Rest Officer at the Department.
The mobile testing lab is part of KMC’s broader campaign to ensure food safety and protect public health by identifying substandard or contaminated food products being sold or served in the city.
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