Rawalpindi :Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has launched its open market sampling test campaign by collecting butter, ‘Desi Ghee’ and cheese samples from open market for examining products quality and fortification. PFA Director General Noor ul Amin Mengal has supervised the operational activities of food safety teams and passed directions food safety officers for taking strict action against adulterators by continuing drive. He said that samples will be sent to ISOs and Pakistan Certified Councils certified laboratories for laboratory test. He said that PFA will not only remove the products from market but also sealed the production units/ companies in case of failed to meet the food standards and proved adulteration in laboratory test report. Mengal told that PFA had sealed seven production units of ‘Desi Ghee’ in province for last week including two in Lahore and one each in five other districts after receiving complaints from consumers about the sale of fake and substandard products. As per complaints, artificial flavors and Banaspati ghee was being used in the preparation of Desi Ghee and being sold in market, he added. He said that this initiative is part of PFA mission in order to make Healthy Punjab. PFA slogan of providing healthy food “From Farm to Fork” is not merely a saying but is our practical priority. PFA decided to take strict action against adulterators in connection to curb the sale of substandard and unhygienic food articles like desi ghee, butter and cheese. He said our objective of sampling campaign is to identify the adulterators and industry’s reform.
