PFA seals factory for refilling fake beverage

Bottles were being sold as originals across the province

LAHORE: Punjab Food Authority (PFA) Director General Noorul Amin Mengal revealed on Sunday that the authority has sealed a second unit of a company refilling fake beverages and the case was under trial.

He said the authority has registered a case against the management of the refilling unit. Mengal disclosed that these bottles were being marketed as originals in different areas of the province. The PFA had discarded over 19,000 litres of harmful beverage that was being filled in the bottles of a famous brand.



The authority had confiscated all machinery and sealed the production unit in Ahmad Park on Sheikhupura Road on Saturday. The provincial food watchdog imposed a fine on Raffique Milk Shop for not making proper insect control arrangements. The authority also issued a notice to the shop for not obtaining the requisite food licence to conduct business in the province.

The food safety officers also issued notices to various food outlets, including Malik Tea Stall, Kasuri Food Point and Dahi Bhalay, Shahi Chanay, Bismillah Pan Shop, Saleem Karyana Store and Bofi Gujjar Milk Shop on Fort Road, Baba Farid Catering in Gharhi Shahu; Maybo Outlet in Mughalpura; Abdullah Naan Shop in Taxali Gate, Amras Foods, Shanshah Pakwan Centre, Ghosia Milk Shop, Hamid Karyana Store, Dubai Tea Stall, Kozi Haleem, Javed Pan Shop, Babu Jee Pan Shop, Almajeed Family Restaurant, Lasani Murgh Chanay, Malik Super Store, Rasheed Milk Shop and Malik Imran Tasty Hotel on Ismail Road, Lasani Mutton Chanay in Mominpura, Barat Traders, Fazal General Store, 786 Traders, Malik Traders, Tahir General Store, Babar Shafiq Store, Rizwan Karyana Store, Arif Karyana Store and Jholay Lal Pan Shop in Mustafabad for not obtaining food licences and medical certificates of workers. The officials had also issued warning letters to these food outlets for not adhering to food regulations.



The authority also took strict action against Saddique Sons Oil and Ghee Mills and Olympia Oil Mills on Sheikhupura Road. Both mills had stored edible oil in rusty drums and did not have record of laboratory examination of products. Both oil factories failed to make insect control arrangements in their production units.

The authority had sealed JFC Restaurant in BOR Society on poor cleanliness conditions. The restaurant was using substandard ketchup and rotten vegetables in food products. Most raw material and food products stored in the restaurant did not have the expiry date mentioned. Cockroaches and other insects were seen in the production area of the restaurant.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2017.