Outdated, unhygienic food found in relief meant for quake victims

KATHMANDU, May 7: Amid the pandemic fear in the wake of earthquake, foreign donors have been found sending adulterated food reliefs to Nepal victims.

The government monitoring found donors sending outdated and damaged food stuffs like bread, noodle and drinks, among others in the name of food reliefs to Nepal.The inspection carried by Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DoFTQC) destroyed 1,000 packets of breads of Indian brand Vaishali and also dumped 1,000 kilogram of unhealthy 'parautha' sent to Nepal through various Indian donors. Similarly, the team also destroyed 43 carton outdated noodles of Singaporean brand Koka and prohibited the distribution of 33 carton puffed Synthetic Mango Drink of Indian brand Lapooz.

These adulterated relief foods of various foreign donors were caught at relief food collection centers at Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) and Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Beside NFC and TIA, government has collection centers of food at National Trading Limited (NTL) too.

"Such adulterated and date-expired foods, in the name of relief, can worsen the situation resulting to epidemic diseases," Purna Chandra Osti, spokesperson of the department told Republica, adding, "We have appealed all donor agencies not to send such foods to Nepal or check their relief foods before sending them here."

Vowing to intensify quality checks and monitoring in food collection centers and relief distribution areas, Osti also urged consumers to be careful while consuming relief foods.

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