2,234 hotels, bakeries sealed for violating rules during 2013-14. PHOTO: STOCK IMAGE LAHORE: The greatest challenges for Punjab Food Authority (PFA) in trying to ensure a hygienic food regime in the city during the past year were cleanliness inspection at food outlets and analysis of milk samples suspected of adulteration, The Express Tribune has learnt.
According to a departmental report, PFA teams visited 19,040
marriage halls, hotels, sweet shops, food chains, bakeries, milk shops and industrial units during 2013-14 to check the quality of food items.
“A total of 2,234 premises were sealed for adulteration and unhygienic conditions,” the report said.
The PFA was set up under the Punjab Food Authority Act in 2012 with the mission statement: “To work on scientific principles and international best practices to secure food safety and quality in the entire food chain in collaboration with
manufacturers, food business operators, consumers and stakeholders.”
It was entrusted with formulation and enforcement of food safety and quality standards, registration and licensing of food manufactures and outlets and laboratory accreditation of food items.
Its operational jurisdiction was initially restricted to Lahore. However, now it extends to Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Multan divisions.
The PFA teams checked 1,106 vehicles carrying milk and 4,406 shops during the year and found 1,814 samples adulterated. “Over 64,427 liters of sub-standard milk was destroyed. During raids, rapid tests were carried out to check the quality of milk. Adulteration of water, urea, formalin, detergents and starch was frequent. The adulterated milk was destroyed. Some samples of packed milk bearing a national brand were also found to be adulterated,” the report said.
The authority also took action against the use of substandard oil and ghee. “During 2013-14, 1,374 samples of various brands of oil and ghee were collected from retail vendors. Out of these 506 were found unfit for use. The authority also conducted raids on units extracting fats and oils from the animal sources,” the report stated.
To check the quality of ketchup, the authority tested 1,032 samples out of which 140 were found adulterated with starch.
After the tests, 39,200 liters ketchup was destroyed and 47 premises were sealed.
The authority examined 1,010 spice-packaging units, where 267 samples were found adulterated.
A total of 5,034 kilogrammes of spices were destroyed and 10 premises were sealed. “Twelve prominent bakeries were sealed for using rotten eggs in food items,” the report said.
The authority sealed 2,234 premises, including 559
hotels and restaurants, 39 bakeries, 63 stores, 1,064 milk shops, 58 sweetmeat shops, 34 marriage halls and 417 other vicinities dealing in food business over adulteration, lack of cleanliness and unhygienic working conditions.
Over 48 per cent of sealed premises were milk shops.
The authority submitted 10,254 cases of adulteration, violation of the Food Act and use of substandard ingredients for prosecution. A total of 2,820 cases were decided and Rs11.94 million fines were imposed on violators, the report said.
Under the provision of Section 15 of PFA Act 2011, every food operator is required to obtain a licence to run a food business. It is also mandatory for food handlers to get fitness certifications after going through medical tests required to detect contagious diseases from government hospitals for issuance of licences.
In 2014, 9,899 licences were issued and the authority collected Rs90 million in licensing fees.
Asad Aslam Mahni, the PFA director general, said that the authority faced huge challenges in ensuring food quality and safety. “We are planning to launch compulsory registration of food products.
We will also display a list of food products found in adulterated at our website. The authority will start checking wheat flour ingredients in the coming days to avoid sale of sub-standard flour in markets,” Mahni said.
“The sale of adulterated milk has been the biggest challenge for us.
The quality of milk can be improved if cattle farms are established closer to city,” Mahni said.
