The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC), the food monitoring body, has recommended action against sixty-three business firms for selling substandard food items in the first eight months of the current fiscal year.

Most of the misconducts were found in the bottled water, biscuits and edible oil. 

According to the department, of the total filed cases, 14 were against the manufacturers of bottled water, 11 cases against the biscuit manufacturing companies, eight against producers of cooking oils, six against noodles and four each were against processed milk and soft drink manufacturers. 

DFTQC Spokesperson Purna Chandra Wasti said bottled water, edible oil and processed milk were among the products in which major anomalies were found most of the time.

According to him, the mismatch in pH value and presence of algae and coliform bacteria were the common problem in the bottled water business.

Last year, out of 200 cases filed by the department, 27 were against manufacturers of drinking water, 37 against makers of cooking oil and 16 were against processed milk producers. 

Of the total bottled water suppliers that the department has recommended action, six—Balaji Beverage of Manmaiju, Flash Mineral Water Industries of Jorpati, Glacier Beverage Industries of Budhanilkantha, Trishul Minerals and Beverage of Manmaiju, Prachi Mineral Water of Budhanilkantha and Trikon Beverage in Balaju Industrial Estate—are based in Kathmandu. 

Likewise, two bottled water manufacturers, including Glacier Beverage Industries and Highland Drop and Food Beverage were from Jitpur, Bara. 

Nilkantha Natural and Beverage and Genuine Mineral Water from Bhaktapur and Ganga Peya Jal from Biratnagar were also recommended for action during the review period. Similarly, the department has filed cases against Poudel Hotel in Dhangadhi and Seti Suppliers in Doti for selling contaminated drinking water.

Biscuit manfuacturers were second worst in the list, after water manufacturers.

 Out of the 11 biscuit factories that the department listed, nine were from Rupandehi and one each from Nawalparasi and Dang districts.

According to Wasti, these factories were found to be using substandard oil and raw materials while producing biscuits. 

Likewise, the department grilled four cooking oil producers from Morang, three from Rupandehi and one from Bara districts. According to Wasti, their cooking oils had a high concentration of fatty acids and peroxides.

Similarly, the department also took action against six noodles manufacturers. These included Himalayan Snacks and Noodles in Banepa and Pokhara Noodles in Pokhara, companies that hold large market share in the noodle industry.

Himalayan Snacks is the manufacturer of Mayos noodle. As per the department, the companies were found to be using low quality of edible oil and other raw materials to manufacture their products.

The department carried out inspection of 165 business firms during the review 

period.

Wasti said the majority of the problems seen in the edibles business were due to the poor storage system and failing to maintain the hygiene in production 

process.