3,600 litre milk, fake beverages discarded

LAHORE:The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) carried out a grand operation against adulterators in the province 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, the food safety teams 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 DG Irfan Memon raided Creative Taste Food Snacks & Beverages Factory on Gopi Ray Road, Shahpur and sealed it.

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

In Faisalabad, PFA 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 presence of substandard khoya, adulterated milk and use of rusty vessels. Apart from that, workers of the shop did not have medical certificates.

Moreover, the provincial food regulatory body discarded 320 litre adulterated milk, germs-infested sweets, khoya and other unwholesome food. A 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 raided Ganj Shakkar Production Unit and sealed it for using substandard ingredients in preparation of sweets, an abundance of insects and stinky environment. PFA discarded 1,245 litre substandard milk, 120kg flour, 80kg red chilli.

Furthermore, PFA Sargodha teams discarded 2,000 litres of adulterated milk and imposed Rs10,000 fine on Rao Milk Collection Centre for selling tainted milk.

The PFA uprooted unhealthy vegetable crops by ploughing 144-Kanal land. PFA warned had warned the food business operators several times but they neglected the instructions of the authority.

The PFA DG has also appealed the citizens to inform the authority through its helpline, Facebook, mobile application and website in case of adulteration and fake factories in their surroundings.