PFA seals 15 eateries

LAHORE:The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) carried out a province-wide grand operation against unhygienic food points and sealed 15 eateries besides discarding more than 20,000 kilo unhealthy food on Tuesday.

The authority also imposed emergency prohibition order (EPO) on four food outlets and stopped their production till further orders. Meanwhile, PFA Director General Irfan Memon led the operation in Lahore and shut down two food points over non-compliance with the authority instructions. The PFA DG said that PFA shut down Sovran Distributors & Cold Store and Cottage Cold Store in Sundar Industrial Estate for preserving food without covering at foot level and failing to take measures to control pests.

Glacier Private Limited and Arshad Enterprises were issued EPOs. He said that food safety teams slapped fine on Shahi Enterprises and Remoxin Enterprises on violation of rules. PFA watchdog team raided Nawab Sweets & Bakers in Muzaffargarh and sealed it for using starch and chemicals in preparation of sweets. PFA Rajanpur team closed down Fresh Well Sweets & Bakers for not taking measures to control pests and over poor cleanliness arrangements.

In Raheemyar Khan, Esa Beverages was sealed by PFA for selling expired drinks and doing business without getting a food licence. A team of PFA also sealed Aqsa Paan Shop after recovering a huge quantity of gutka and expired food items from there. Farooq Snacks was sealed due to using substandard ingredients and over wrong labelling. PFA Khanawal team sealed Government Post Graduate College’s canteen for selling prohibited food items like carbonated drinks.

PFA sealed Asif Traders and Rana Foods on selling expired food and poor storage system. The authority also closed down three food points over using expired food items, an abundance of insects, stinky environment and non-compliance of instructions. A food safety team in Faisalabad raided Ahsan Bag Traders and sealed it over misbranding and worst condition of hygiene. In Jhang, PFA sealed Al-Malik Sweets on account of adulteration and unhygienic conditions.

PFA officials penalised 15 food points with Rs37,000 cumulative fine in Faisalabad division, 26 eateries with Rs62,000 fine in Gujranwala division, six shopkeepers with Rs25,000 fine in Sargodha division, nine food business operators with Rs36,000 fine in Rawalpindi division and Rs189,000 fine was imposed on violators in South Region.