National food safety laws are coming in for attention around the world and the latest to look at changes is Nepal. The government in Kathmandu 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. with a district administrative office. And fines will be increase by about 20 times current rates. It will also focus on customs entry points. 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. (To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
