PFA food fortification programme: Sample collection from open market begins

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has started collecting food samples from open market in order to verify the micro-nutrients (essential trace elements and vitamins) into food articles through laboratory test after the business adjustment time period completed here on Wednesday.

Officials said the PFA teams have collected the white flour (maida), flour and ghee samples for laboratory test from open market in the presence of company’s representatives following blind-sampling method throughout the province.

PFA's Director General Noor-ul-Amin Mengal said the teams have collected food articles samples from open market for examining products quality and fortification. The PFA is doing efficiently work on food fortification programme under the umbrella of PFA scientific panel by taking the department concerned and stakeholders on board.

While several meetings have been arranged with food industries concerned and stakeholders in this regard. Punjab Food Authority is fully active in implementing food fortification programme in order to deal the food issues and reduce the deficiency of nutrients, the DG said.

Mengal said that business adjustment time was given to them in the meeting held in May, adding that PFA bound food industry/ manufacturers to add the essential trace elements and vitamins in flour, white flour and ghee during food fortification/ enrichment process. He said that all industry had ensured them for following the PFA’s directions before completing the deadline.

According to PFA mandate that all enriched flour was to be fortified with folic acid and zinc along with presence of vitamins in ghee and potassium iodide and iodine in salt. All samples will be sent to ISOs and Pakistan Certified Councils certified laboratories for laboratory test. The authority will not only remove the products from market but also take strict action as per law in case of failure to meet the food standards, fortification and proved adulteration in laboratory test report.

A large number of children in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan are suffering from diseases due to lack of nutrients. According to the recent nutrition survey report, 50 percent children are victim of nutritional shortage and 60 percent children are suffering from anaemia (deficiency of blood) in Pakistan. The nutritional status of children is very serious in Pakistan, Mengal concluded.