PFA introduces new standards for restaurant inspection

LAHORE: A majority of city restaurants and food spots have rejected the recently introduced Pure Food Rules made by Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on the pretext that the rules are only for food manufacturers and not applicable to them.

PFA had introduced the Punjab Pure Food Rules recently with a claim that the rules will cover all food issues, procedural flaws, manufacturing issues and other problems.

Following the introduction of the rules, PFA teams have started checking city restaurants and food spots under the light of the Pure Food Rules, which infuriated restaurant owners and they called on PFA Director General Noorul Amin Mengal.

Ch Shafique Ahmed, Secretary General Lahore Restaurant Association (LRA) and CEO of the country’s only chain of culinary and hospitality educational institution said that LRA had held repeated meetings with Punjab Food Authority authorities over the issue and openly expressed their displeasure over flaws in the Pure Food Rules and their implementation.

“These rules are for industrial manufacturing and can’t be enforced on small scale such as restaurants and food spots,” he said, adding a four-member committee of Lahore Restaurant Association had proposed several amendments and SoPs to the DG PFA.

He said that Punjab Food Authority was a good measure of the present government but the authority should not force restaurants to shut down due to its strict and rigid policies. He said the authority should work in collaboration with the restaurant industry for the betterment of food hygiene, quality and standards.

Sources said in a recent meeting held between LRA and PFA decided to stop the enforcement of Pure Food Rules on restaurants and food chains. “Instead we have finalised Restaurant Inspection Regulations,” Director General PFA Noorul Amin Mengal told The News.

The PFA DG admitted the Pure Food Rules were made for industrial manufacturing and said a new point based restaurant inspection system was being introduced to remove concerns of restaurant owners.

As per the newly devised Restaurant Inspection Regulations, a Punjab Food Authority official will give point-based marks to a restaurant during routine inspection. The new restaurant inspection table contained several heads such as Documentation, General, Personal Grooming and Hygiene, Food Storage and Dry Storage, Equipment/Utensils, Food Handling, Pot Washing, Dish Washing and Cleaning, Garbage disposal and Pest Control.

Under Documentation tab, a PFA official will check the food license from PFA, medical certificates for all food handlers, record of food safety training, record of traceable purchase record of food products, any equipment that is outdated must be labeled properly, physical condition of water filtration units and complete record of waste oil disposal.

In General tab, the PFA official will check availability of first aid kits, cleanliness of staff toilets, disposable napkins, soap and presence of trained and certified manager. In personal grooming and hygiene, the Punjab Food Authority officials will check staff for any contagious diseases, open wounds, skin problems and flue. They will further check that employees are wearing clean uniform/clothing, properly trimmed hairs and finger nails, head covers and aprons, jewelry is not allowed for food handlers, hand wash/soap available at cooking area, handlers are wearing gloves, eating and drinking of staff at designated areas, smoking only at designated area and employees taking appropriate action when coughing/sneezing and uses disposable napkins/tissues and hand wash later.

Under the food storage and dry storage tab, the PFA officials will check that the restaurant has displayed a proper food discard policy. They will further check that all expired, rusted, bloomed items are stored at a designated place, all food and paper supplies are at least 6 inches off the floor and away from walls, all open perishable food that is stored is labeled with expiry date.

PFA officials will further check that the restaurant has implemented the first come first out method, all surfaces and floors are clean, chemicals are stored separately with proper labels, all prepared foods are properly covered and not stored in the same pan/container, all prepared foods have expiry dates, use of meat, poultry and fish are stored as per food laws, ceiling fixtures are maintained and free of build ups, ceiling lights, window glass are covered in kitchen area or preparation area and all kitchen utensils are of stainless steel and branded rubber.

Noorul Amin Mengal said that every restaurant will be given points over the implementation of the standards. “Punjab Food Authority didn’t want to close down the restaurant industry but our aim is to improve food and hygiene standards so that  citizens get quality food and services,” he concluded.