PFA sealed six food points over adulteration and unhygienic conditions

Lahore : Punjab Food Authority has carried out a grand operation against adulterators in Punjab and sealed six food points over multiple violations of the provincial food regulations.

The authority also discarded more than 3,600 litres of adulterated milk and beverages during the operation.

On the directions of PFA Director General Irfan Memon, food safety teams have visited hundreds of eateries in their respective areas and thoroughly examined the food quality, hygiene and food safety standards.

A food safety team under the supervisor of its DG Irfan Memon raided Creative Taste Food Snacks & Beverages Factory and sealed it in Lahore on Gopi Ray Road Shahpur. He said that the factory was sealed on account of adulteration and counterfeiting. He said that fake juices were being produced with loose colours, chemicals and artificial flavours. This prepared batch/consignment of juice had to supply in the market to meet the growing demand of beverages on the upcoming Eid.

The authority has confiscated 30,000 empty bottles; 2,070 bottles of prepared juice, 500 litre juice mixture, loose colours and chemicals. He said that team also witnessed incomplete labelling on products, unclean filters and poor cleanliness arrangements during the visit. He said that the use of artificial sweeteners and substandard increments in beverages lead to stomach, kidney and heart problems.

In Faisalabad, PFA has closed down production units of Decent Bakers and The Bakers for using loose colours and chemicals along with not taking proper preventative measures to control pests. A dairy safety team sealed Mustaq Dairy in Toba Tak Singh over the presence of substandard khoya, adulterated milk and usage of rusty vessels. Apart from that, workers of the shop did not have medical certificates.

Moreover, the provincial food regulatory body has discarded 320 litre adulterated milk, germs-infested sweets, khoya and other unwholesome food.

PFA Gujranwala team sealed Raees Supari & Maiva unit for selling gutka, failing to meet hygienic working environment and non-compliance of instructions.

In South Punjab, PFA has raided Ganj Shakkar production unit and sealed it for using substandard ingredients in the preparation of sweets, an abundance of insects and stinky environment. PFA has discarded 1,245 litre substandard milk, 120kg flour, 80kg red chilli. The adulterated food is not fit for human consumption and causes blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

Furthermore, PFA Sargodha teams have disposed of 2,000 litres of adulterated milk and imposed Rs10,000 fine on Rao Milk Collection Center for selling tainted milk. Milk was discarded over found low level of lactometer readied in the milk.

On the other hand, PFA has uprooted unhealthy vegetable crops by ploughing on 144-Kanal land. He said that PFA has discarded several maunds of toxic vegetable crops including ladyfinger, onion, tomatoes, butternut squash and spinach. PFA has warned FBOs several times but they neglected the instructions of the authority.

Irfan Memon said that the authority will continue its indiscriminate action against counterfeiters and adulterators till complete elimination from Punjab. DG urged that people should ‘prefer homemade food’ instead of consuming readymade products. He also appealed citizens to inform PFA through its helpline, Facebook, mobile application and website in case of witness adulteration and fake factories in their surroundings.