PFA closes down 23 food businesses

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) conducted operations against production and sale of unhygienic and substandard food items in 36 districts of Punjab on Wednesday.

PFA closed down 23 food businesses, including production units, hotels, chicken sale points, factories, warehouses, catering units and milk shops over unhygienic conditions and adulteration in food items. A fine of Rs 42,6000 was imposed on 50 food points.

Out of the 23 businesses sealed, eight were in south zone, six in Lahore division, five in Rawalpindi division and four in Sargodha divisions. Besides, food safety teams penalised 12 food business operators with fine tickets of Rs163,000 in Lahore. Similarly, PFA imposed Rs128,000 fine on 16 eateries in South Punjab, Rs65,000 on 11 food points in Rawalpindi, Rs70,000 on 11 food premises in Sargodha.

A special team of PFA raided on Ajwa Foods Ketchup Production Unit in the Samanabad area and sealed it for adulteration in ketchup, absence of lab test, failure to provide food licence and other issues. The team destroyed 25,000kg adulterated ketchup. PFA teams closed down two food premises, including a famous restaurant, at Liberty Market for using poor quality commodities. Similarly, PFA sealed a famous factory on Sheikhupura Road for using talcum powder in the preparing of biscuits, prohibited monosodium glutamate in nimko and Paapar. The team seized and discarded 2,000 packs of slanty, 3,500 packets of biscuits and a huge quantity of nimko.

PFA’s watchdogs discarded 335 litre chemical contaminated milk, 260kg adulterated pepper and a huge quantity of substandard sugar, rancid oil, spices, soft drinks and other items. Food safety officers also issued notices for improvement to more than 400 food points during the operation conducted across Punjab.

In DG Khan, PFA caught a group red-handed preparing adulterated and substandard sweets through recycling of discarded sugar syrup and sweets. PFA destoyred 1500kg poor quality halva, 100kg fetid oil, 200kg sweets there. Muhammad Asif Samosa Point was sealed for using rotten tomatoes, Chinese salt. guts of animals and rancid oil in preparation of Samosas and other products. The raiding team disposed of 300kg insects-hit white flour and guts of an animal during the raid. Around 8,000 to 1,0000 Samosas were supplied to the market by the accused. PFA registered a police case against the accused.

PFA Director General Noor ul Amin Mengal said PFA imposed Rs20,000 fine on each violator who failed to use food safety kits. He said that it was compulsory for food industry to follow the principles of hygiene besides maintaining the food standard.