Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
KATHMANDU: Mustard greens produced in Kathmandu have been found to contain an alarmingly high level of pesticide, raising serious food safety concerns in the capital.
Laboratory tests conducted on mustard greens brought for sale to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market on Tuesday detected 99.08 percent of the pesticide organophosphate, according to the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market Development Committee.
The Central Agriculture Laboratory tested 15 different varieties of fruits and vegetables collected from 15 shops at the Kalimati vegetable market on Tuesday. The excessive level of pesticide was detected specifically in the mustard greens during the testing process.
Authorities stated that the mustard greens found with such a high concentration of organophosphate are completely unfit for human consumption.
Under existing government standards, vegetables are considered safe for consumption only if the pesticide residue level is below 35 percent. If the level ranges between 35 and 45 percent, the produce may be consumed only after keeping it aside for a few days. Any vegetable containing pesticide residue above 45 percent is deemed unfit for consumption.
This is not the first instance of excessive pesticide residues being detected in vegetables sold in Kathmandu. In previous tests, high levels of pesticides were found in green coriander, locally produced cauliflower, broccoli, bitter gourd, green pumpkin, French beans, and other vegetables.
Repeated detection of hazardous pesticide levels in commonly consumed vegetables has intensified concerns over weak monitoring of pesticide use, ineffective enforcement of food safety regulations, and growing risks to public health in urban markets.
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