Six food points sealed in Lahore over PFA act violations

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority has closed down six food businesses and imposed Rs 34,500 cumulative fine on six eateries for not following the rules of the provincial food regulatory body’s Act, on Thursday.

The food safety teams under the supervision of food safety officers carried out crackdowns on unhygienic food processing units and food points. PFA Director General Muhammad Usman said the authority sealed Hospitality Inn’s general store area, Bundu Khan, Baba Foods, ABN Foods, Delight Foods and a paan shop in various areas of the provincial metropolis.

He said a team of PFA paid visits to Bundu Khan Restaurant, located at Gulberg, for measuring the food safety issues but restaurant’s administration failed it to maintain the food standards and due to this reason authority sealed it immediately. He said expiry and substandard cooking oil was being used to fry food that is injurious to health for the consumers. PFA’s watchdogs also discovered improper cleanliness arrangements and filthy condition of the store.

Besides, a team of PFA raided ABN and closed it for preparing coloured salanty (snacks) and unavailability of the shelf life of the product on the packing. The factory was established in the Main Kanchi Bazaar, he mentioned.

Moreover, PFA sealed a general storage area of the Hospitality Inn hotel over not taking preventive measures for pests and other violations. PFA enforcement teams closed down Delight Foods in Bhogiwal and Baba Foods in Kot Khawaja Saeed for producing substandard quality food products. He said that authority discarded 150-kg ready sauces which prepared with harmful chemicals and flavours. PFA served notices for improvement on more than 150 food points.