PFA shut down five fish points on frying stale fish in rancid oil

Lahore : The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) shut down five fish points and penalized 24 food business operators (FBOs) with Rs 600,000 cumulative fine for frying stale fish in rancid oil and violating the rules.

Following the directions of Director General PFA Muhammad Usman, provincial food regulatory body’s watchdogs have held operation across Punjab and checked 232 fish points in a daylong drive.

Muhammad Usman said that enforcement teams of PFA sealed Arshad Lahori and Haji Sardar in Moon Market Allama Iqbal Town and Jholay Lal Fish Corner in Garhi Shahu.

As well as, authority closed down royal fish shop in Sargodha and Decent Fish and BBQ in Faisalabad. He said that all fish points were shut down on the charges of frying fish in fetid and rancid oil, for using blue-coloured dirty chemical drums to store fish, stinky environment and poor sanitation.

He further said that it is strictly prohibited and a crime to use the rancid oil again in the preparation of food. As many as 229 fish points were served with warning notices for improvement in Punjab. The use of rancid oil causes chronic diseases such as cancer.

The crackdown continued on fish points across Punjab for bringing reforms in fish industry and ensuring the implementation of food safety standards and Punjab Pure Food Regulations, he said and added that the act of checking food points will be practiced regularly.