Five food production units sealed

LAHORE: In a province-wide operation against ketchup, sauces and mayonnaise manufacturing units, Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Friday sealed five units and discarded around 4,700 kilogram substandard products.

The action was taken on the directions of PFA Director General Capt (R) Muhammad Usman. Food safety teams under the supervision of food safety officers have visited 39 production units in a daylong operation.

The DG said the purpose of the operation was to inspect the food quality and food safety standards set for food industry by the PFA. He said PFA has sealed one production unit in Raheem Yar Khan and two each in Lahore and Rawalpindi.

PFA has also imposed a heavy fine on seven units and served warning notices for improvement to 26 food business operators. The notices were served over substandard operations and non-compliance with authority’s instructions, he said.

DG further said that tomato ketchup was being prepared without using tomato. However, artificial flavours, chemicals and textile colours were being used in it. The PFA teams also discovered the contamination of hazardous chemicals and loose colours in sauces and rotten eggs and inferior quality oil in mayonnaise. He said, “PFA was ensuring provision of quality food if we improve the system on the industry level.There is zero tolerance for adulteration, and all steps in order to ensure the complete eradication of the adulteration mafia are being taken, he concluded.