KATHMANDU — The government is preparing to enforce stringent laws from August after dairy industries were found neglecting public health utterly.
Spokesperson at Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DoFTQC) Purna Chandra Wosti informed that the Food Act is being amended to punish the dairy industries, producers, and traders involved in supplying adulterated and contaminated milk.
“They will be fined up to Rs 50,000 or five-year imprisonment or both as per the new rules,” he said.
According to Food Act 2023BS, only Rs 1,000 to 5,000 or six months to one-year imprisonment or both can be charged for sales and distribution, import and export of substandard dairy products,. Similarly, a fine up of Rs 10,000 and two-year imprisonment can be imposed on those violating the law.
The issue grabbed the attention of authority after harmful bacteria was found in milk products being supplied in the country.
A team headed by Agriculture Minister Chakrapani Khanal monitored the dairy industries in Kathmandu Valley and collected milk samples for testing. The samples were found contaminated with coliform bacteria.
According to Dairy Development Corporation (DDC), coliform bacteria was found in Adhunik of Adhunik Dairy, Alisaj of galfu Binayak Dairy, Anmol of Akriti Milk and Krishi, Arpan of Jaya Shree Krishna dairy, Bhaktapur of Bhaktapur Dairy, Chaudhary delicious red of HD Milk and Beverages, Daily UHT of Himalaya Dairy Products.
Similarly, Cow Milk, Full-Cream Milk, Standard Milk, STD Milk and Tea-Milk of DDC, Everyday of Jagadamba Dairy Food and Beverages, Gayatri of Kharipati Dairy, Godhuli of HD Milk and Beverages, Kalika of Kalika Dairy, Kantipur Fresh (Blue Red Pack) of Sanju Dairy. Nabaprabhat of Nabaprabhat Dairy, nd’s of Nepal dairy and Neva of Country Food Pvt Ltd were found contaminated with coliform bacteria during lab tests.
According to DoFTQC, RDC of Rajdhani Dairy, Safal of Sujal dairy, Sanjivani of Sanjivani Dairy Shivam of Shivam Dairy, Krishna of Sitaram Dairy, Sulav (Blue-Red Pack) of Sulav Dairy, Today of Himalayan Dairy Product, Tulasa of Tulasa Dairy Pvt Ltd, Yes of Sayukta Dairy were contaminated with coliform bacteria.
What is Coliform?
Coliform is a group of over a dozen bacteria. They are found in open water sources and excreta of hot-blooded animals including humans. Coliform does not affect man seriously but the growth in its number will increase the health risk. There are three kinds of coliform—total, fecal and e-coli.
Total indicates dirt contaminated in water while fecal indicates contamination of excreta in water. E-coli causes symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, headache and muscle cramming in humans.
How is coliform contaminated?
Excreta of animals including human and birds is mixed with water sources through air and water. If such water is mixed in milk, it will be contaminated. Most often, milk gets contaminated with coliform if it is stored improperly or if the containers are cleaned with contaminated water.
DoFTQC spokesman Wosti said they have been conducting further investigation against the dairy industries selling milk with harmful coliform contamination. “We are also preparing to file cases against them,” he said.
Though new regulations are formulated to regulate dairy industries for processing, storing, transportation, quality production and distribution, the milk industries supplying substandard milk are yet to be brought to justice.
Wosti said that it was difficult to take action immediately. “As it is just the first test. We have to confirm it by testing again and getting results. We are also discussing with the dairies,” he said.
DDC officials claimed that their products do not contain coliform harming human health. Subas Prasad Bhattarai, spokesperson for the DDC, said, “We supply our products to the market by testing every time. We have not found such harmful bacteria in our products,” he claimed. “There are different methods of testing. Our test is standard government test. The milk could have been contaminated with Coliform after the consumers opened the pouch.”
