15,000kg of fake tea leaves seized in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KP FS&HFA) has seized over 15,000kg of substandard and fake tea from a local factory on Ashraf Road here.

The fake tea processing unit was using non-food grade colours and other unhealthy items in the tea leaves. The raid was carried out on the directions of Director General KP FS&HFA, Shah Rukh Ali Khan.

According to the food safety authority, the fake tea leaves from the unit were seized and the sample was sent to the laboratory for further analysis.

The authority also seized over 1200 kg of substandard and adulterated spices in Mirch Mandi in Peshawar, the processing unit was sealed over mixing bran and maize flour in the spices. Similarly, the production premises was extremely unhygienic. According to the Food Safety Authority, during the operation FIR was lodged against the culprits.

DG Food Safety Authority Shah Rukh Ali Khan has directed the field Inspection teams in the province to work proactively against the adulteration mafia, and have carried out a number of mega operations in the last few days. He said the authority’s mission was to ensure the provision of safe and quality food to the people and no one would be spared if found indulged in harming human lives through the use of substandard edible items.

He asked the food outlets to comply with the SOPs of the authority, and refrain from production and sale of substandard items, or else strict action would be taken against them.