The question of quality has been raised due to the lack of proper management and distribution process, rather than adulteration in the edible oil consumed by consumers on a daily basis. Experts and stakeholders say that although most of the oil produced by the industry is of high quality, it is unfit for consumption due to improper storage process and adulteration when it reaches retail stores through dealers and distributors.

In the discussion on 'How is the quality of cooking oil?' organized by Kantipur Daily on Monday, experts and stakeholders said that due to lax regulation, problems in the supply system, lack of public awareness, and ignorance, the quality of oil has also been questioned.  

'Oil itself is not a poison, it is a nutrient needed by the body. But how much to eat is an important issue, too much is poison. According to the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO), 20 to 35 percent of the calories that the body needs daily are supplied from ghee," said Somkant Rizal, deputy director general of the Food Technology and Quality Control Department, "everything has a shelf life. If the packaging and distribution system is not good, the quality life of the oil will automatically decrease. Life expectancy also decreases due to environment, acid value increases.' 

15/20 years ago it was common to mix cheap oil with expensive oil and sell it. Soybean oil was colored like mustard oil. "And, it used to be sold at a high price," said Rizal, "even now that cannot be said." But adulteration has decreased.'  Rajan Poudel, Director General of Commercial Supply and Consumer Protection Department, said that there is some complexity in the

market. He said that the retail shops sell everything from rodenticides to oil. There is also a lack of consumer awareness on quality. It is the job of commerce to make the supply tighter, improve the storage area and regulate it," he said. "We have collected oil samples and tested them. Along with the government, the private sector also has laboratories. There can be tests. During testing, the industrialists themselves are also aware. '

' said Madhav Timalsina, President of the Consumer Rights Research Forum, where oil of an unheard of brand was sold in villages. He says that it is necessary for the government to be ruthless in the matter of quality. "Whether it's a hotel or a restaurant, the same oil is sold by cooking it frequently," he said. It is no longer the case that the oil available in the market is good.'

'There is no basis that the quality of the oil is good. Most brands have some kind of chemical added to them. But government regulation is lax. Even if the sample is tested, the report does not come for 2/3 days," he said, "There is no control of toxic substances in the market. The responsibility of the manufacturer is to the end consumer. It is important for the seller to be aware.

Most of the hoteliers on the highway consume used oil frequently. Anil Bhattarai claimed. He says that it damages blood vessels and heart a lot. Oil is necessary. It's just a matter of the amount we eat. Applying basic standards and using edible oil is good for health," he said. "Let's reduce fried food as much as possible."  Nutritionist Supriya Bhattarai told

that eating oil is associated with calories. "Energy is given by essential fats in oil, that's why we need fat," she said, "What kind of oil should we eat?" How much and how much to eat is more important than which oil to eat.'