Food authority discards over 5,000 litres of fake juice for children

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakh­tun­khwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority on Wednesday confiscated more than 5,000 litres of fake juice produced for children’s consumption in Gali Bagh area of Mardan district.

A press release said the condition of the factory was deplorable in terms of cleanliness, while the owners were using saccharine and other harmful chemicals in the production of the product.

According to the Director-General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority Shahrukh Ali Khan, the factory workers were caught red-handed while they were producing the fake beverage for children consumption. He said the unit had installed machines for the packing of juice in sachets, which used to be supplied in the market. During the operation, the KP FS&HFA officials discarded unhealthy juice, while also confiscating the already produced product, a sample of which would be sent to the laboratory for further testing.

The authority also carried out a number of actions against the adulteration mafia in the rest of the province. The KP FS&HFA inspected various food outlets in the Tal area of Hangu. During the inspection, 35kg unhealthy ghee was confiscated from a shop.

Similarly, a bakery unit in Lower Dir was sealed owing to severe unhygienic conditions and the use of non-food grade chemicals in the production of the bakery items.

The director-general KP FS&HFA appreciated the officials for the prompt actions and directed them to further intensify their crackdown against the adulteration mafia in the province.