The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) under the supervision of its Director General Irfan Memon raided a grinding (chaki) unit in the walled city and sealed it for producing adulterated red chilli powder on Saturday.
A raiding team confiscated 1,740kg tainted unhygienic chilli powder from the spot which supplied to different local hotels and dhabas (food point) after packing in attractive packaging. This was informed by DG Punjab Food Authority. He said that red chilli was being produced by adding the coloured Red Chili Whole Peppers and husk of rice in it. Meanwhile, chilli was kept the outer surface of the earth in the premises of the unit without taking any safety measures. He said that this grinding unit was functional in the densely populated area of Lahore in Akbari Mandi.
The director general further said that the use of adulterated and substandard spices in food dishes causes stomach and gastrointestinal problems among consumers. PFA will not compromise on the quality of food and will deal with iron hands to violators who will not meet the PFA food standards. He stated that the Punjab Food Authority is vigilantly monitoring the food processing from farm to fork as per the food laws. He has appealed the general public to consume homemade eatables for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The Punjab Food Authority has vowed to make Punjab free of adulterated food zone according to the vision of Punjab government, Memon said.