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LAHORE, Dec 05 (APP):The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has shut down 210 food points and imposed hefty fines on 6,300 eateries during an inspection drive in November across Punjab.
PFA Director General Raja Jahangir Anwar said in a statement that the teams thoroughly inspected the food safety and quality parameters of more than 52,500 food businesses including marts, tuck shops, restaurants, marriage halls, tea points, water filtration plants, beverages units and other production units.
The authority lodged first information reports (FIRs) against 53 people on account of forgery and adulteration besides issuing warning notices for improvement to 33,000 food business operators. Further, the authority sent over 955 food samples for laboratory tests and issued 3,900 food licenses to newly registered FBOs.
The PFA warned more than 33,000 food points, asking them to improve their hygienic condition and food quality, he said.
Raja Jahangir Anwar said that all types of food are also checked as per the annual checking schedule along with surprise checking. He said that operations are ongoing on a daily basis to ensure the provision of safe, healthy, standard and quality food.
He said that all stages from food preparation to delivery are being vigilantly monitored as per SOPs. He added that the use of prohibited or non-food grade ingredients in any food is a serious offence.
He appealed to the public to read the writing on the label before purchasing any foodstuff because reading food labels can help people make smart choices. The public should report on PFA’s helpline 1223 to eliminate the elements involved in counterfeiting and adulteration, he added.