The government is preparing stricter quality standards for edible oils, covering production, packaging and distribution of mustard, soybean and sunflower oils.

The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) has prepared new standards that distinguish oils suitable for direct human consumption from those that require further processing. The standards also propose tighter controls on packaging, advertising and the reuse of containers. DFTQC currently maintains mandatory food-quality standards and has also issued recent recall notices for mustard oil, underscoring the department's ongoing food-safety monitoring.

Mustard oil

Under the proposed amendment to Nepal Standard 03:2035, mustard oil will be classified according to its extraction process as express or solvent-extracted.

Refined, virgin and expeller oils produced through the express process, along with refined oil produced through solvent extraction, will be permitted for direct consumption.

Grade 1 mustard oil produced through solvent extraction, however, will not be allowed for direct consumption without further processing and cannot be sold in consumer packets. Its container must carry the warning “Not for direct edible consumption” in English, with letters at least 50 millimetres high.

The oil must also be free from Argemone mexicana and other inedible oils. Its maximum peroxide value will be 10 milliequivalents, while limits for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury will be set at 0.1, 0.1, 1 and 0.25 milligrams per kilogram, respectively.

Soybean oil

Under the proposed amendment to Nepal Standard 103:2042, solvent-extracted soybean oil will be classified as refined, degummed and Grade 1.

Only refined soybean oil will be permitted for direct consumption. Degummed and Grade 1 oils will be treated as raw materials for producing vegetable ghee or refined oil and cannot be sold in retail packets.

Their containers must carry a clear warning against direct consumption in letters at least 50 millimetres high.

The standard also requires the oil to be extracted from healthy Glycine max soybeans. Aflatoxin will be limited to 30 micrograms per kilogram, while refined soybean oil will have a maximum hexane limit of 5 ppm and phosphorus limit of 12 ppm.

Sunflower oil

Sunflower oil will similarly be divided into express and solvent-extracted categories.

Refined oils from either process and Grade 1 oil produced through the express process will be considered suitable for direct consumption. Grade 1 sunflower oil produced through solvent extraction will require further processing and cannot be sold in consumer packets.

The oil must be free from artificial colours and flavours, with a maximum peroxide value of 10 and aflatoxin below 30 micrograms per kilogram. Limits will also apply to toxic metals including lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury.

Tighter packaging and advertising rules

The proposed standards would also restrict marketing claims on edible-oil packaging and advertisements.

Terms such as “super-refined,” “extra-refined,” “micro-refined,” “double-refined,” “ultra-refined,” “anti-cholesterol,” “cholesterol fighter,” “heart soothing,” “cholesterol friendly” and “saturated fat free” would be prohibited.

Only Nepal Standard-certified tins or plastic containers would be permitted for packaging. Reusing previously used tins or plastic containers for edible oil would also be prohibited.

Packaging would have to clearly display the manufacturer's name and address, batch number, production month or year and net weight in either Nepali or English.

Only producers meeting the prescribed requirements would be allowed to use the Nepal Standard certification mark.

The proposed standards are intended to strengthen controls over the purity and safety of edible oils sold in Nepal and provide clearer information to consumers.