FTQC Office Hetauda Files Cases Against 44 Businesses for Selling Substandard Food

The Food Technology and Quality Control (FTQC) Office in Hetauda has taken legal action against 44 business firms and individuals in the Fiscal Year 2023/24 for various trade-related offenses, including the sale of substandard and expired food products.

According to Kashinath Ghimire, Chief of the FTQC Office Hetauda, cases have been filed against seven businesses in Makawanpur, 24 in Kathmandu, five in Chitwan, and eight in Dhulikhel. The charges are based on offenses identified through lab tests conducted on samples collected by the FTQC Office and various division offices throughout the last fiscal year.

The cases have been filed under the Food Purity and Quality Act, with 32 business firms facing charges in the District Court and 12 individuals being charged at the District Administration Office. The charges include selling contaminated and date-expired food items, posing a significant risk to public health.

Ghimire also reported that the FTQC Office tested and analyzed a total of 2,738 samples during the fiscal year, leading to these legal actions aimed at ensuring food safety and quality standards are upheld.