Food Safety Policy 2076 – Step towards Promotion of Food Safety in Nepal

Introduction

Food Safety Policy 2076 has been approved and brought into action by the Government of Nepal on June 23, 2019. Food Safety Policy will help to promote food safety in Nepal by upgrading all concerned organizations including the Government Authority, Organizations in the food chain and the consumers. The main purpose of the Policy is to develop a regulatory system to monitor and control food safety at all levels and protect the right of the people to get safe and quality food. Similarly, it will help to develop the organizations in the food chain to ensure food safety and quality of their products which will help to decrease the import of food products and increase the export. Though it is not stated in the policy, it will also help to promote the tourism industry by attracting more tourists.  

Nepal is way behind to other countries to establish an updated regulatory system in the country to monitor and control food safety. This policy can be considered as an initial step to promote food safety in Nepal. If we compare with India, the Food Safety and Standard Act was brought into action in 2006. As the Policy is published in Nepali language, it is quite difficult to understand as the technical terms are presented in Nepali language. It is an attempt to present the Policy in brief with some comments and suggestions.

Current Situation and Challenges

The current situation and challenges to promote food safety in Nepal as described in Food Safety Policy 2076 are as below:

• Organizations in the food chain are not capable enough to establish and implement the system to ensure food safety and quality, support and encouragement is necessary to develop them to become capable enough.
• Government Authorities do not have enough systems; infrastructure, human resources and regulations to monitor, control and support organizations in the food chain to implement the system to ensure food safety and quality. We have old acts and regulations which need to be updated as per current international context regarding food safety.
• There are different government institutions for monitoring and controlling food safety and quality at different levels, coordination and interaction between these institutions is essential to ensure food safety and quality to all levels of the food chain.
• As consumers are not well aware of food safety, it can cause risk of food borne diseases. Awareness of consumers is essential to develop them to demand, select and consume safe and quality food.

 Food Safety Policy 2076 in Brief

Though the Food Safety Policy has different section from Vision, Mission, Goals, Objectives and Policy, here Policy is presented in brief.

• The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control will be upgraded to an autonomous Food Safety and Quality Authority to implement food safety policy. Initially, inter ministry food safety Direction committee will be founded for the monitoring and coordination between regulatory institution involved in food Safety.
• Food Acts, Regulations, standards and directives will be revised and updated equivalent to regional and international level. 
• Food Import Export Inspection and Certification system will be developed and implemented to ensure import of safe and quality food products.
• Sufficient Food Analysis laboratories will be established up to the local level and upgraded to provide food analysis service to the concerned as required. Private laboratories are also encouraged to be established and accredited. A National Food Reference laboratory will be established to analyze all food safety hazards including Pesticides, Veterinary Drugs, Mycotoxins and Heavy Metals.
• Training centers will be established in the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control for the training of government officials involved to support, monitor and control the organization in the food chain.
• Guidelines will be developed for traceability of food products and for the recall of non-conforming products from market and made available to the concerned organizations.
• System will be established to record the incidents of food borne illness, analyze the data and to suggest precautionary measures for possible outbreaks.
• Food Borne Disease Outbreak: will be investigated to identify the source and information will be made public. It will be controlled and prevented by effective communication and coordination with the concerned department of health ministry. Food Epidemiology surveillance system will be established to prevent the spread of food borne disease outbreaks.
• Education and Research institutions will be encouraged to conduct research related to the status of food safety at different levels of the food chain. Applicable research findings will be implemented in the related organization in the food chain. Research will be conducted to develop the proper system for the production of safe and quality indigenous food products of Nepal.
• The Food Safety course will be included in the curriculum of Food Technology, Agriculture and Veterinary university programs.
• Organizations in the food chain at Primary Production level will be encouraged and trained to implement Good Agricultural practices and Good Veterinary Practices and gradually developed to implement Food Safety Management System.
• Food Industries will be encouraged and trained to implement Guidelines on Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Hygienic Practices and gradually developed to implement Food Safety Management System. Implementation of HACCP or Food Safety Management System will be mandatory for the industries producing high risk food products.
• System will be established to analyze complaints related to food safety and quality from the public and findings will be made public.
• Programs will be developed and implemented to promote the awareness of consumers on food safety.
• All concerned will get access to information related to national and international research, news and other useful information.

Comments and Suggestions

Food Safety Policy 2076 is a milestone for promotion of food safety in Nepal but its implementation is challenging due to existing political situation of Nepal. It can take many years to complete the implementation of Food Safety Policy and even to start it properly Suggestions are as below to the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control to implement before Food Safety policy is implemented properly.

• It is suggested to publish the policy in English language so that it could be understood better and also can be discussed with the international organizations for aids.
• It is better to have an interaction program between the government authority and organizations in the food chain regarding the Food Safety Policy for easy implementation.
• Draft of revised and updated Food Safety Act, Regulation and standards can be developed and made public to receive suggestions for improvement.
• Directives can be developed and enforced to implement for the food industries having high risk of food safety hazards.
• Draft of an annual and long-term plan to implement Food Safety Policy can be developed and made public for suggestions and improvements.
• Food Industries can be enforced to improve the necessary infrastructure to maintain Good Hygiene Practices during pre-inspection for License for new industries and License renewal for running industries. Food Industries can be enforced to recruit competent manpower to implement Good Hygienic Practices and Food Safety Management System.

Few points on Policy such as establishment of Food Scientist and Technologist Council and discouragement of junk food does not seem to be relevant for food safety but it can be important for other aspects like health of the people and development of the Food Science and Technology sector. It is suggested to include Meat inspection unit and Pesticide Inspection unit under Food Safety and Quality Authority to control food safety from farm to fork.

Concluding Remarks

All concerned from consumers, government authority to organizations in the food chain should play their role to implement Food Safety Policy so that the safe and quality food is available for the people and organizations in the food chain can perform better and contribute for the economic development of the country.