Food safety campaign launched

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety & Halal Food Authority has started awareness campaign in various educational institutes across the province to ensure the provision of safe and healthy food to students.

A press release said the campaign was started on the directives of Minister Food Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Atif Khan and Secretary Food Capt (r) Mushtaq Ahmad.Under the drive, the authority officials visited various schools and colleges in the Mardan district where the school canteens, water filtration, and water tanks were inspected.

In addition, the officials provided basic information on food safety to the management of educational institutes, students and food handlers working in the canteens.The canteen owners were told that the sale of unhealthy beverages, snacks and other unsafe foods were strictly prohibited, and action would be taken against the violators.

Inspections were also carried out on the Nisata Road and in Mardan City, where improvement notices were issued to a number of school canteens.Similarly in Tank and Hangu districts, the food safety teams sensitised students of various schools and colleges on basic food safety principles.

The team inspected a number of schools and colleges in Lakki Marwat and Lower Dir districts and sensitized the staff and students of various institutions.Director-General KP Food Safety Authority Shahrukh Ali Khan directed the teams to intensify the inspection of food providers in the educational institutions’ premises.