6,000 litre spurious drinks discarded

LAHORE:Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has unearthed a fake beverages manufacturing unit producing carbonated drinks of different popular brands in Bara Marada village on Sharaqpur Road.

PFA DG Raja Jahangir Anwar informed here on Wednesday that the authority discarded 6,000 litre spurious carbonated drinks; 4,350 empty bottles; 3,000 lids, 250 litre syrup, 180kg of prohibited ingredients and 75kg counterfeited packing material during the raid. The authority has also confiscated 12 cylinders, three filling machines and a generator.

He said that the authority also filed an FIR against the factory owners on account of adulteration and forgery while handing the two accused over to the area police for further investigation in order to nab the group involved in this heinous crime. He said that fabricated fizzy drinks were being prepared with loose colours, hazardous chemicals, artificial sweeteners and unclean tap water.

PFA DG said that fake beverages were to be supplied to the different local shops and marriage halls in the subpar areas of provincial capital; however, the raiding team ruined their unholy ambitions by taking timely action. He said that the use of substandard fizzy drinks causes health problems for consumers. He further said that the adulteration mafia would be dealt with an iron hand and all-out efforts would be made for sustainable law of the PFA in the province.

Moreover, he said that the food authority has been taking action against the foes of public health under the zero-tolerance policy. PFA will continue to curb food-related issues and eliminate the adulteration mafia from Punjab, he added.

He appealed to the public to keep an eye on adulteration in their surroundings and to inform PFA on the 1223 helpline number in case of witnessing any suspicious activities related to the food.