KP Food Safety Authority seizes substandard food items in crackdown

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority launched a series of late-night crackdowns across various districts, including Peshawar, Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan, Nowshera, Malakand and Mansehra to curb the sale of substandard and hazardous food items.

Thousands of kilograms of adulterated food were confiscated, multiple production units were sealed, and heavy fines were imposed on violators, officials said.

According to the spokesperson for the authority, a food safety team in Mardan set up a checkpoint on Nowshera Road, where they intercepted a vehicle carrying 5,250 kilograms of substandard and rotten meat. The confiscated meat, which was being transported from Karachi for supply to various cities, was immediately disposed of, and legal action was initiated against those responsible.

In Peshawar, food safety teams raided multiple bakeries and spice manufacturing units in Charsadda Road and Zaryab Colony. During the inspections, authorities seized 3,400 kilograms of adulterated and harmful spices, which were found to contain bran, non-food-grade colorants, and low-quality ingredients. Additionally, 100 kilograms of non-food-grade color and poor-quality oil were confiscated from one of the units, leading to its immediate sealing under the Food Safety Act.

In Dera Ismail Khan, a food safety team conducted inspections at Bakkhar Pul, where they examined vehicles transporting dairy products. Samples tested at the mobile food testing lab confirmed that 320 liters of milk were substandard and were discarded on the spot. Fines were also imposed on those involved in supplying contaminated milk.

Similarly, in Nowshera, food safety officials raided two grocery stores in Khairabad and Khan Kohi, seizing 960 packs of substandard juice and penalizing the store owners. Similarly, in Malakand, a ghee and oil mill were sealed after its products were found to be below quality standards.

In Mansehra, over 2500 kg of unhygienic livers and lungs were seized and the driver of a passenger coach was arrested.“We have seized a huge quantity of unhygienic livers and lungs being transported here from Lahore and arrested the driver of a passenger coach,” Dr Rukhsar Ali, the Assistant Director of the authority.

He said that a special team led by him was constituted to hold a crackdown on unhygienic meat and other goods transported here from Punjab, particularly from Lahore.

Director General KP Food Authority, Wasif Saeed, commended the food safety teams for their successful operations and reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the availability of safe and high-quality food across the province. KP Minister for Food, Zahir Shah Toru, also reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance policy against food adulteration, emphasizing that strict action would be taken against those endangering public health.