PFA seals three known snack factories for using spurious oil

LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has sealed three famous snack factories for using expired and rancid oil in the preparation of Nimko and biscuit in the provincial metropolis Monday. Punjab Food Authority Director General Noorul Amin Mengal led a special raid on nimko factory in the Gajumatta area of Lahore. The factory was sealed for using horse food in making “nimko and daal” with rancid and over used oil.

In a separate action, a special raiding team under the supervision of PFA Additional Director General (ADG) Operations Rafia Haider inspected various food units in the Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate, Multan Road Industrial Area and Ghaziabad. She was accompanied by Deputy Director Operations (Lahore), Food Safety Officer and other team members.

Meanwhile in Multan, three eateries were sealed over failure to maintain the hygienic working environment during a crackdown against substandard and unhygienic food points in south region. On the directions of PFA Director General Noorul Amin Mengal, directors of the respective areas (South-I,II) carried out operations and punished several food business operators (FBOs) by sealing their shopsand serving fine tickets of Rs126,000 on them.

Gujranwala Food Safety teams launched a massive crackdown on substandard food outlets, sealed nine production units of confectionery, vinegar, porridge and snack on finding unhygienic conditions. The PFA teams led by Food Safety Officers (FSOs) of the respective area paid surprise visits to hundreds of food outlets and examined the quality of food.

Faisalabad teams ticketed seven food business operators (FBOs) with Rs51,000 for not complying with PFA’s instructions and issued improvement notices to dozens of food points in Faisalabad Division.

Talking to media, Rafia Haider said factories were sealed immediacy on finding unhygienic conditions. She said that snacks were being fried in expired and rancid oil along with unhygienic textile colour used in its culinary. Further, she said that food industry is bound to use only food colour while other colours are strictly prohibited as per PFA regulations. ADG Operations told that it is compulsory for the industry to maintain a record of water filtration plant, oil, ghee and other products. She said that factories also failed to produce the record of oil changing and its removal. A huge quantity of substandard and unhygienic oil was discarded from the spot.

She said that mothers should give their children a healthy lunch box and motivate them to avoid junk food. The PFA teams also sealed a restaurant over providing poor quality food and multiple hygiene issues in Johar Town limits. The teams punished several food business operators with Rs50,000 fine tickets, discarded a good number of substandard food products by taking into custody from different food outlets and issued improvement notices during operation.