Kathmandu Metropolitan City in collaboration with the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control has started operating a mobile food laboratory for market monitoring related to food services.

On Thursday, Deputy Chief and Monitoring Coordinator of the Metropolitan Municipality, Sunita Dangol, started the sample collection and testing of the food items of the maternity hospital and the canteen of Norvik Hospital at Thapathali. During that time, the joint Unguman team carried out food hygiene and quality inspection of the place where the food business is operating, on-site testing and analysis of food samples.

Inquiring about the work done by the mobile laboratory, Deputy Chief Dangol said that fact-based information will be obtained from the mobile laboratory to protect consumer rights from food hygiene. Talking about the results that will be obtained from this, she said, 'An important basis will be created from the mobile laboratory to formulate a scientific program for the clean food business.'

Deputy Director General of Food Technology and Quality Control Department Somkant Rizal expected qualitative results from the cooperation of the Metropolitan Municipality. Chamenagriha (Sunil Canteen), staff canteen (Mankamana My Canteen) of Charitable Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, kitchen that prepares free lunches, soups and other meals for patients and Cafe Care Pvt Ltd of Norvik Hospital have been monitored. During

monitoring, on-site samples of milk, water and cooking oil were collected and tested from Sunil Canteen and Manakamana Canteen. The quality of these food items has been found to be in accordance with the quality standards of the mobile laboratory. Similarly, a sample of pickles taken from the canteen and eaten with meat has been sent to the National Food and Feed "Reference" Laboratory of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control for testing.