Food safety: Nepal is working to update its law dating back to 1967
Nepal
The Government of Nepal wants to amend its Food Safety Act to broaden the definition of food and define more types of malpractice in food trade. The changes in the law are being designed to control food adulteration and “other wrongdoings”.
A spokesman for the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) said the changes will involve all types of edibles, but not tobacco or cosmetics. Nepal law currently defines adulteration as that involving food. The changes will add chemical residues, microbes and toxins to the adulteration category.
Government action will also come faster with the changes. Currently, DFTQC can only file violations. Under new laws fines will be increase by about 20 times current rates.
Nepal’s existing food act was written in 1967. It establishes four areas where misconduct could be found: selling contaminated food, selling sub-standard products, running a food business without a license and receiving compensation payments.
Food Safety News, 28 June 2016 – www.foodsafetynews.com
Read more: http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2016/06/first-update-to-food-safety-law-since-1967-in-nepal/#.V3Ul51ey_8l