4,200-litre unhygienic edible oil discarded

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) discarded 4,200 litres of unhygienic edible oil and imposed an emergency prohibition order (EPO) on the oil production unit over adulteration during a raid in Muridke here on Monday.

PFA Director General Shoaib Khan Jadoon said PFA took action against the unit for production of unhygienic oil with different chemicals which was sold in the market in the name of cooking oil. He said the PFA discarded 4,200 litres of unhygienic oil on the sport after imposing EPO. He said substandard oil was preserved in the non-food grade drums without taking any preventative measures. The team found abundance of insects, flies and lizards during the raid. Apart from that, the administration of the unit failed to show medical certificates, lab reports and other necessary records to the raiding team on the spot, Jadoon said and added that the use of substandard oil in food causes health problems for consumers.

He said the use of prohibited and expired raw material or ingredients is strictly prohibited in the preparation of any food product. He said oil production units must follow the Punjab Pure Food Regulations. Lawbreakers would be dealt with strictly, he said and appealed to the masses to inform PFA about adulteration mafia on its mobile application, social media accounts and toll-free number 0800-80500.