Vermicelli unit sealed

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) sealed a production unit and discarded thousands of kilograms of substandard vermicelli in a raid in Gujjumatta area here on Wednesday.

PFA Director General Muhammad Usman said the authority sealed Bay-Misal Sawaiyan (vermicelli) for using loose colour with no traceability, bringing rusty machinery in practice, poor storage system, failure to meet hygiene working environment and comply with the authority’s instructions.

The PFA food safety team also discovered rodents inside the production and storage area. The PFA discarded 20-kg loose colour without traceability and 2,000-kg vermicelli. He said the team confiscated 4,290-kg poor quality vermicelli and machinery.

Thousands of kilograms of inferior quality vermicelli were supplied in the market daily. He said the use of loose and non-food grade colour in the preparation of essential commodities causes ulcer and stomach cancer.