PFA seals three production units of ketchup, sauces, mayonnaise

Lahore : The Punjab Food Authority has sealed three food production units while carrying out a large-scale operation on ketchup, sauces and mayonnaise manufacturers across Punjab on Monday. The authority also punished eight units with heavy fine tickets and served warning notices for improvement to 51 food business operators.

The authority has taken action against them on account of adulteration and over failure to meet the food hygiene standards. On the directions of PFA Director General Captain (R) Muhammad Usman, food safety teams have conducted raids on 64 ketchup production units in 36 districts of Punjab.

During the operation, teams have checked the production area, ingredients, personal hygiene and quality of food in order to ensure the provision of safe and adulteration free food in the market. The authority also discarded adulterated material during raids conducted. While food safety teams sent samples of six production units in the laboratory to further test the quality of ketchup and mayonnaise.

PFA DG Muhammad Usman said that PFA officials sealed units in Sialkot, Bahawalpur and Raheem Yar Khan over multiple violations of the Punjab Pure Food Regulations 2018. He said that starch, textile colours and non-food grade flavours were being used in the preparation of ketchup. Meanwhile, teams found the contamination of chemicals and loose colours in sauces. Apart from that, rotten eggs were used in the production of mayonnaise. He said that teams also witnessed the presence of washroom in the production area, an abundance of insects and flies along with blue-coloured drums. The director general said that consumption of ketchup usually increased before the holy month of Ramadan which was the main reason behind the manufacturing of fake ketchup. However, PFA would take strict legal action against violators in case of finding adulteration. He also said that authority has been working vigorously to ensure quality food for consumers in the province.