PFA seal 13 food points , fined 93 FBOs

Lahore : The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has launched a province-wide crackdown on substandard food premises (including eateries, production units, sweet shops, dairy units, chicken sales points, catering companies and salt processors) here on Thursday.

The authority has sealed 13 food points, imposed Rs535300 fine on 93 Food Business Operators (FBOs) over failed to meet the food standards, proved adulterations and on findings unhygienic issues during the operation.

A massive crackdown was launched on the directions of PFA Director General Noor ul Amin Mengal. Following on DG directions, food safety teams under the supervision of food safety officers have raided on various food premises to ensure the implementation of PFA regulations along with inspected the quality of food that which was being sold in market.

Out of 13, 8 premises sealed in Gujranwala, 2 in Lahore 1 in Multan and 2 in Sargodha division for not complying with PFA’s institutions and over failure to maintain the hygienic working environment.

Further, teams also observed multiple issues like using non-food grade colour in the preparing of sweets, an abundance of insects in the processing area, using blue drums for food storage purpose, not to maintain the record, use rotten vegetables, cooking food in rancid oil and many others. Apart from that, workers of the food outlets did not have medical certificates.

Whereas PFA’s watchdogs have imposed R64500 fine on 15 eateries in Multan division, Rs 34000 fine on 11 shops in Sargodha, Rs 77000 fine on 15 food points in Rawalpindi, Rs 93800 fine on 17 food outlets in Faisalabad and Rs181500 fine on 21 food points in Gujranwala division during the daylong activity.

Director Operations and Deputy Director Operations have monitored the activities of field teams of PFA. Raiding teams have discarded 1500 rotten eggs, 100kg cream, 1900kg pickle, 40kg snacks, 150kg white flour (maida), 10kg non-food grade colour and other essential commodities by taking into custody.

Moreover, teams have inspected more than 700 kanal land and crushed chemical contaminated vegetables on 19 acres in Faisalabad, 41 acres in Sardogha and 2 Kanal in Rawalpindi and its adjacent areas. The team warned farmers to avoid irrigating to crops with polluted and chemical wastewater otherwise, PFA will deal with iron hands to violators. PFA discarded cauliflower, spinach, ladyfinger, coriander and wheat crops by ploughing tractor.

PFA is fully committed to ensure hygiene food in Punjab as per “Healthy Punjab” mission under its slogan “From Farm to Fork”. Teams have served improvement notices on various food points during operation.Teams have also served warning and improvement notices to dozen of food points, during raids.