The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Monday sealed 22 food businesses and slapped fine of Rs886,500 on more than 150 eateries during conducted a province-wide grand operation against adulterators and unhygienic food points.
The authority took action against violators for failing to meet the food standards defined in the provincial food law. The objective behind the operation was to ensure the provision of healthy and safe food for the public.
Meanwhile, PFA Director General Irfan Memon has led the operation in Sargodha and sealed six food outlets besides confiscating a huge quantity of unwholesome food and machinery. Al-Makkah Dairy, Nafees Dairy and AM Dairy were shut down over failure milk samples in lab tests, not mentioned expiry dates on butter product and for having a low level of LR. He said that authority sealed Nisar Shah Ice Factory owing to use rusty ice blocks for storing fake milk. In another raid, Clear Water Filtration Unit was closed down on account of forgery.
Irfan Memon further said that PFA sealed Saeed Grinding Unit over proved contamination of rice hulls and loose colours in tainted spices. He informed that PFA has registered a case against the adulterators in the nearest police station over adulteration. PFA is vigilantly monitoring the food industry at all level to ensure healthy and pure food.
The provincial food regulatory body also closed down three chicken shops in Gujranwala for not adopting cone slaughtering system, poor cleanliness arrangements and non-compliance of instructions. In Sialkot, food authority sealed Bajwa Sweets & Milk Shop over the presence washroom in production area, not mentioned expiry dates and for not using food safety kits.
PFA Mandi Bhauddin team sealed Sohni Ice Lolly for not following the labelling rules and an abundance of insects. Gondal Sweets was sealed over violations in Gujarat. An enforcement team of PFA raided Noor Food Industry in Faisalabad and sealed it over the presence of cobwebs and junk material, failure to produce food graded certificates of packing material and for not labelling MRD on the final product. PFA Jhang team shut down two milk collection centres due to using Banaspati ghee and powder in milk. The team has disposed of 2000 litres adulterated milk.
In Rawalpindi, PFA teams sealed Rauf Bakers and Wahid Associates over the worst condition of hygiene and storage of stale meat respectively. The raiding team has registered an FIR against the owner of the shop in the nearest police station after confiscating 1,350kg unhygienic meat.
A team of PFA Attock raided Al-Madina Fair Price Shop and sealed it due to selling tainted spices and pulse. PFA’s enforcement teams have sealed Amir Masala Jaat Unit in Multan and Wali Khan Masala Factory in Muzaffargarh for using textile colours, not having food license, storing loose oil in grinding unit and not taking measures to control pests. A dairy safety team shut down New Datta Milk Shop in Bahawalpur over failure milk samples and usage of stinky vessels.
The authority has discarded a huge quantity of unwholesome food and served notices for improvement to dozens of eateries.