The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Friday released the frozen fish and seafood products screening results of 21 companies while one brand failed and 20 passed in the annual sampling schedule 2020.
PFA Director General Irfan Memon said that all the samples had been collected from the market by food safety teams in the presence of representatives of those companies. He said that AU Fisheries Company could not meet the food standards in the laboratory test while the failed brand has been directed to remove stock immediately from the market.
According to the details, he said that screening test results of passed and failed brands would also be released for the public interest. Punjab Food Authority would take strict action if the failed brand did not remove its product from the market. He added that every kind of food is screened several times according to an annual schedule to ensure the provision of healthy and safe food for the public.
On the other hand, food authority has shut down nine food outlets and imposed hefty fines on numerous food business operators in a crackdown against adulterators and unhygienic eateries across Punjab.
According to details, teams have visited hundreds of food points to check the quality of food, safety standards and hygiene issues. PFA DG Khan team raided Waseem Saleem Bakers and sealed it due to using substandard oil, not having sheet on the working table, doing business without a food license and worst condition of hygiene. Apart from that, workers of the shop did not have medical certificates.
The authority also sealed a karyana store in Lodhran for selling tainted spices and preserving food at foot level. In Sargodha, the team sealed a production unit of Javed Karyana & Sweets Shop over the presence of insects and rats as well as for using substandard colours in the preparation of sweet.
In another raid, PFA closed down Punjab Hotel due to using adulterated spices and failing to meet food safety standards. The raiding team has confiscated 15kg chilli, 210kg flour, spices and a huge quantity of expired beverages.
It shut down Khan Karyana store for selling expired beverages in Khushab. A meat safety team raided Ali Haider Beef Shop in Faisalabad and sealed it over failure to produce medical certificates, poor hygiene and the presence of washroom in the working area. The raiding team discarded 40kg unhygienic beef after taking into custody from the spot. Allah Hu Milk Shop was closed down on selling adulterated milk.
Further, PFA has raided Abid Hussain Karyana Store in Chinniot and sealed it over neglected the previous instructions. PFA Gujarat meat safety team has sealed Goga Butt Beef Shop in Gujarat for poor arrangements of sewerage, not covered meat and non-compliance of instructions.