PFA seals 3 units, lodges 2 FIRs, discards 71,251kg expired food

LAHORE, Jul 10 (APP): Enforcement teams of Punjab Food Authority (PFA) carried out a grand operation against food fraud mafia under the supervision of Additional Director General Operations Asad Ullah.

During the operation, three production units and a warehouse were raided, three units were sealed, two FIRs were lodged and 71,251kg of expired food products of various brands, worth millions of rupees, were discarded.

Food safety teams conducted operations on Guru Mangat Road, Butt Chowk, Township and Sundar Industrial Estate. Teams took action after discovering expired food products being relabelled with altered expiry dates for resale. A large stock of expired products recovered from the warehouse were discarded.

DG PFA Syed Musa Raza said that mandatory traceability records and supply documents were unavailable, while no effective system or SOPs existed for the disposal of expired food products. He said teams found that expiry dates had been erased and replaced with new dates on various products. A date printing machine used to alter manufacturing and expiry dates was also taken into custody during the operation.

He said that several products were being offered for sale without mandatory registration and label approval. Warehouse was found in poor hygienic condition with a heavy infestation of insects, while food handlers lacked mandatory medical screening and food safety training certificates. Units had also failed to comply with previously issued directions

He further stated that various expired food products popular among children were recovered and discarded to protect public health. He said PFA teams remain active round the clock to eliminate every tactic used by the food fraud mafia

He has requested the public to support the PFA in eliminating the adulteration mafia and report to the PFA on its 1223 helpline number in case of any complaints.