PFA discards 2,000 rotten edibles at Sunday bazaars

Officials issue warnings to stall owners for selling harmful snacks

LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) after inspections at Sunday Bazaars across the province discarded over 2,000 rotten edibles, including vegetables, fruits and other products.

The authority’s food safety officials also discarded over 1,300 kilogrammes of banned coloured papadums that is one of the main causes of intestinal cancer. PFA officials also issued warning notices to stall owners and bazaar administrations selling these harmful snacks.



PFA Director General Noorul Amin Mengal said the authority had informed local administrations about Sunday Bazaars inspection reports so they could be aware about the on ground situation. He added that provincial food watchdog had directed all its officials to ensure safety standards by strict implementation of provincial food regulations.

Mengal said that the authority launched its operation across the province and food businesses were being checked from Rajanpur to Attock. All Sunday Bazaars were being checked on a regular basis, he added.



PFA officials inspected food products quality in Wahdat Colony, Model Town, Township and other Sunday Bazaars, while in Multan, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Kasur, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Sarghoda, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Rahimyar Khan major makeshift market were inspected.

Earlier, the provincial food watchdog discarded 40,000 litres substandard and adulterated milk during its crackdown took out in all districts of Punjab. In Lahore, PFA food safety officials intercepted and checked vehicles transporting milk vehicles in city and destroyed some 4,000 litres of contaminated milk.



PFA teams of other districts have also discarded 3,500 litres milk in Multan, 3,800 litres in Rawalpindi and 11,000 litres milk in Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur at the PFA pickets. They set up pickets at Gajju Matta, Thokar Niaz Baig, Bhobtiyaa Chowk, Sagian and other entry points of the city, which was being transported for sale in Lahore. The PFA pickets were established under the supervision of PFA food safety officers.

Separately, the PFA teams also raided several bakers and general stores to check the quality of food products in the city. The PFA has sealed a bakery for using blue chemical drums, absence of medical certificates of staff, presence of insects and other issues. Further, several eateries were served with improvement notices by following PFA SOPs.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th, 2017.