How safe are festival sweets? 433 shops found violating food safety standards during Tihar inspections

File Kathmandu, November 4 Colourful lights, blooming marigolds and globe amaranths, and the sounds of Deusi-Bhailo mark the arrival of Tihar, Nepal’s second biggest festival, also known as Yamapanchak. Along with lights and flowers, sweets are among the things most closely associated with the festival. Sweet consumption surges during festivals, keeping traders busy with rising demand.

However, in previous years, the rush to meet demand and the pursuit of high profits often came at the expense of consumers’ health. There have been numerous instances of markets being flooded with sweets made from rotten, expired and inedible ingredients. This year, however, the government has introduced stricter monitoring and new standards for sweet shops ahead of Tihar, saying it intends to address past shortcomings.

The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) introduced stringent rules for sweet manufacturers and sellers even before beginning its inspections. Last year’s figures offer an indication of how serious adulteration in sweets can be during Tihar.