Following the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Punjab Food Authority (PFA) continued its operation against adulterators and sealed 10 food businesses including an illegal fat rendering unit in Lahore.
Acting on a tipoff, PFA Director General Irfan Memon raided a fat rendering unit in Kot Abdul Malik and confiscated a huge quantity of fat which was being used for producing hazardous oil by melting it in the large-sized ‘Karahy’ (a type of thick, circular and deep cooking-pot). The raiding team also seized 3,000 kilo hazardous oil, nine karahy and filth of animals.
Irfan Memon said that the dirty oil was being supplied to local hotels in the market instead of Bio-diesel companies after mixing in the used oil. The director general further said that the use of harmful oil in the food leads to fatal diseases. Extracted oil from animal fat can be used in the manufacturing of biodiesel. Punjab Food Authority will not tolerate negligence at any level, he added.
Further, an enforcement team raided Mian Gee Karyana Store in Faisalabad and sealed it after recovering expired spices, unavailability of labelling on products and the presence of insects. PFA Sargodha team shut down Bismillah Dera Hotel over poor storage system, stinky environment and poor storage system.
In Rawalpindi, PFA has sealed Mehar Sweets, Roshan Bakers and Khalid Bakers for using substandard ingredients in the preparation of food items and failing to meet hygienic working environment. The teams also stopped the production of seven food outlets by imposing emergency prohibition orders.
Furthermore, PFA has sealed four confectionary manufacturing units during conducted different raids in Bahawalnagar, DG Khan, Layyah and Raheem Yar Khan. Food businesses were sealed for using textile colours, failing to produce medical certificates and non-compliance of instructions. PFA Lodhran team shut down Javed Spices Grinding unit for selling adulterated spices. A team of PFA also closed down Al-Namat Foods Pappar Factory due to using non-food graded ingredients and worst condition of hygiene.
According to details, the PFA team has raided Roshan Traders in Gujranwala and sealed it over failure to meet food safety standards. Nadar Sweets were sealed on account of wrong labelling. In another raid, PFA watchdog team shut down Ahsan Foods over the presence of washroom in the production area and poor cleanliness arrangements. A team of PFA Hafizabad close down Fri Chicks owing to the use of poor quality oil for frying chicken and other items.
The provincial food regulatory body has penalized dozens of food joints with hefty fines and discarded a huge quantity of unwholesome food besides serving warning notices for improvement to dozens of shopkeepers.