PFA discards over 134,000kg substandard food ahead of Eid

LAHORE, Mar 12 (APP): The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) discarded more than 134,000 kilograms of substandard and hazardous food items during intensified operations against food adulteration ahead of Eid in the provincial capital.

According to a PFA spokesperson, during the raids, the teams discarded 40,000kg of substandard nimko, 31,000kg of oil prepared from animal fat and offal, 40,000 counterfeit bottles of renowned brands and 18,000kg of expired mushrooms. In another operation, 5,000kg of meat being transported from Pattoki to Lahore along with 600kg of expired jelly and toffees were also destroyed.

The spokesperson said that food safety teams have been conducting extensive inspections across Punjab during Ramazan. So far, 242,463kg of expired cold drinks, ketchup, sauces and other food items have been discarded during the holy month. He said that 85,662 food points, production units and suppliers have been inspected since the start of Ramadan.

Director General PFA Muhammad Asim Javaid said that 115 FIRs have been registered, 203 units sealed and fines worth Rs90.693 million imposed on 6,593 food business operators during enforcement actions.

He added that enforcement activities have increased 2.5 times during the last two years, while 2.43 million food units were inspected, 920,126 operators issued improvement notices, 3,718 FIRs registered, 7,554 units sealed and fines exceeding Rs2.98 billion imposed on 234,719 businesses.

The DG said that around 690 million litres of milk has been checked across Punjab, while 4.5 million litres of fake milk was discarded, adding that 90 percent traceability of milk has been ensured in the province.

He said laboratories for food, milk and water testing are being established at divisional headquarters, while mobile food safety squads and bike squads have also been launched to strengthen field enforcement.

He warned that those involved in food adulteration and fraud would be brought to justice, adding that a zero-tolerance policy is being strictly implemented against businesses involved in food fraud.