PFA discards 22,000 litre fake beverages

LAHORE:Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Thursday unearthed fake beverages manufacturing unit producing carbonated drinks of different popular brands.

The raiding team discarded 22,000 litre ready spurious drinks and raw material of 51,000 bottles. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Director General PFA Shoaib Khan Jadoon on Ferozepur Road.

DG PFA said that the authority has lodged an FIR against the factory owner in the respective police station on account of forgery and adulteration after confiscating machinery, chemical drums, empty bottles, labelling material and lids from the spot. He said that harmful beverages were to be supplied to different local shops in Lahore and its adjacent areas.

DG PFA said that fake beverages of different brands were being prepared with prohibited and harmful chemicals just for minting money. He further said that the raiding team also found the contamination of artificial sweeteners and unclean water in the soft drinks. He said that the use of spurious drinks prepared without formula might lead to cancer and ulcer diseases.

The provincial food regulatory body has escalated its operations activities against the counterfeiters and adulteration mafia in Punjab as well as fully committed to ensuring the provision of safe and healthy food during the holy month of Ramazan, he added.

Meanwhile, Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has celebrated World Health Day under the theme "Our Planet, Our Health” here on Thursday. In this connection, PFA arranged an awareness walk that started from PFA Headquarter to New Muslim Town Underpass, Canal Road.

The participants, including DG PFA Shoaib Khan Jadoon, Additional Director General of different wings, employees and people from different occupations, were carrying banners inscribed with different slogans, highlighting the importance of world health day.

On this occasion, DG PFA said that the purpose of the event was to make people aware of the daily diet that can play a vital role to keep them safe from various diseases. He said that according to the WHO, an estimated 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes, polluted water and substandard food.

DG PFA said that the food regulatory body is carrying over 1,500 operations on a daily basis to ensure the availability of healthy food and overcome foodborne illness as well as to make successful the “Healthy Punjab” mission under its slogans “From Farm to Fork”.

He said, "It is very important for everyone to eat nutritious food to avoid diseases and keep yourself healthy.” In this context, PFA runs an online nutrition awareness programme titled “Ghiza Ki Baat” on its Facebook Page twice a week and addresses queries of its viewers related to a healthy diet. PFA is ensuring optimum utilization of the strength of its staff for effective efficiency and satisfactory results, he added.

DG PFA appealed to the masses to select healthy and nutritious food to keep themselves active and healthy. He requested the public to report any suspicious activities related to food adulteration and unhygienic food points on PFA Facebook Page and Toll-Free number 0800-80500, pointing out that all the information received will be kept strictly confidential to protect the privacy of informers.