Unhygienic goods PFA clamps down on shops

Healthy Punjab Programme, discarded 3,000 kilograms of unwholesome chicken meat from areas of Punjab

LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) imposed fine worth thousands of rupees over the past few days and sealed several food outlets selling substandard or unhygienic items in different districts of the province.

The authority in its ongoing campaign, the Healthy Punjab Programme, discarded over 3,000 kilograms of unwholesome chicken meat from Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan and Rawalpindi districts. PFA food safety officers seized around 2,450 kilograms of stale chicken meat from Faisalabad, followed by 450 kilograms from Multan, 380 kilograms from Rawalpindi and 140 kilograms from Gujranwala. During the inspection, PFA officials checked 288 shops and issued warning notices to 212 of them for not using the cone system to slaughter birds hygienically.

In Sahiwal district, PFA officials temporarily closed down the production of Fresco Dairy Point over hygiene concerns. The dairy company was using dirty machines to extract cream from milk before selling it to the market.  The authority ordered the dairy company to improve cleanliness arrangements before restoring production operations. PFA food safety officers also discarded 200 maunds of substandard spices after sealing two units.

Action was also taken by PFA officials in Gujranwala, Gulberg Town, Data Gunj Buksh Town and Shalimar Town. The cabinet committee had already given the go ahead to expand food operations to other districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 29^th, 2017.