22 food businesses sealed for violations

LAHORE:The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) Monday sealed 22 food businesses and slapped a fine of Rs886,500 on more than 150 eateries during a province-wide grand operation against adulterators and unhygienic food points.

The authority took action against them for failing to meet food standards defined in the provincial food law. The objective behind the operation was to ensure the provision of healthy and safe food to the public.

PFA Director General Irfan Memon led an operation in Sargodha and sealed six food outlets besides confiscating a huge quantity of unwholesome food and machinery. Al-Makkah Dairy, Nafees Dairy and AM Dairy were shut down over failure of milk samples in lab tests, not mentioned expiry dates on butter product and for having a low level of LR. He said that authority sealed Nisar Shah Ice Factory owing to use of rusty ice blocks for storing fake milk. In another raid, Clear Water Filtration Unit was closed down on account of forgery.

PFA sealed Saeed Grinding Unit over proved contamination of rice hulls and colours in tainted spices. PFA has registered a case against the adulterators in the nearest police station over adulteration. The provincial food regulatory body also closed down three chicken shops in Gujranwala for not adopting cone slaughtering system, poor cleanliness arrangements and non-compliance of instructions. In Sialkot, the food authority sealed Bajwa Sweets & Milk Shop over the presence of washroom in the production area, not mentioning expiry dates and for not using food safety kits. PFA Mandi Bhauddin sealed Sohni Ice Lolly for not following the labelling rules and an abundance of insects. Gondal Sweets was sealed over violations in Gujarat. An enforcement team of PFA raided Noor Food Industry in Faisalabad and sealed it over the presence of cobwebs and junk material, failure to produce food graded certificates of packing material and for not labelling MRD on the final product. PFA Jhang shut down two milk collection centres due to using Banaspati ghee and powder in milk. The team has disposed of 2000 litres adulterated milk. In Rawalpindi, PFA teams sealed Rauf Bakers and Wahid Associates over the worst condition of hygiene and storage of stale meat respectively. The raiding team registered an FIR against the owner of the shop in the nearest police station after confiscating 1,350kg unhygienic meat. A team of PFA Attock raided Al-Madina Fair Price Shop and sealed it due to selling tainted spices and pulse. PFA’s enforcement teams have sealed Amir Masala Jaat Unit in Multan and Wali Khan Masala Factory in Muzaffargarh for using textile colours, not having food license, storing oil in grinding unit and not taking measures to control pests.