PFA bans chewing-gum ad

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has decided to ban advertisement of chewing gum/bubble-gum on media, which allure children to purchase this product.

Officials said PFA has tightened the noose around the food business operators and those organisations which are involved in the practice of wrong marketing for the sake of increasing sale.

They said the decision was made on the recommendation of the scientific panel after complete consultation. 

In this context, the regulatory authority has summoned representatives of all bubble-gum manufacturing companies to the PFA office next week whereas they were already informed about the authority’s decision. Scientific panel, in the recommendations, said that the use of chewing-gum/ bubble-gum is not fit for children’s health. Chewing-gum or bubble-gum is prepared with flavours and artificial ingredients which affect the growth of children and reduce appetite. Meanwhile, during the ongoing crackdown on unhygienic food businesses, the PFA on Friday closed down eight more food points over violation of the provincial food regulations. On the direction of the PFA Director General Noorul Amin Mengal, food safety teams conducted raids on hundreds of food points in open markets of the provincial metropolis. The teams were accompanied by the PFA officials, including food safety officers and assistant food safety officers.

The PFA sealed two water filtration plants, including Arctic water and Seasly water plant, for using PFA logo, over failed laboratory test, misbranding and improper cleanliness arrangements. Food safety team also caught Illyas Fat Rendering Unit for extracting oil from animal wastes and fats in the Ram Bagh area.

Besides, the PFA sealed a Cosmopolitan Club’s canteen for using rotten fruits and vegetables, an abundance of insects, for using rusted freezers and substandard spices in the preparation of food, poor hygiene conditions and presence of expired products. Apart from that, the factory workers did not have medical certificates. In other activities, two confectionery units were shut down by PFA on the basis of poor cleanliness arrangements, the presence of pests and for using cosmetic colours which is injurious to consumer health. The bakeries were closed on GT Road mentioned as Ghulam Muhammad Bakery and Shoaib Bakers. Similarly, the PFA sealed Chaman Ice Cream shop over proved adulteration of non-food grade colour and substandard ingredients and presence of expired products; sealed a nimko unit of Sheikh Food Products owing to use substandard oil, presence of expired items, usage of loose colours and on the account of fake labelling.