PFA seizes huge cache of unwholesome, used oil

LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) unearthed an illegal oil manufacturing unit from Samanabad on Thursday.

The unit was involved in extracting oil from animal fat for sale to small restaurants and nimko factories in different areas of the city. A spokesperson for the provincial food watchdog highlighted that the authority had seized over 5,000 litres of unhygienic and spurious oil from the unit and handed it over to a biodiesel manufacturer as per regulations.



The unit was also involved in blending and processing rancid cooking oil with harmful fats extracted from animal waste, the spokesperson disclosed. He added that the oil was packed under different brand names and supplied to small restaurants and snack-manufacturing factories for preparation of different food items.

In another raid, PFA’s food safety officials also seized over 10,000 kilogrammes of expired cooking oil from Rawalpindi on Wednesday. On a tip-off, the PFA officials, along with local police, raided a factory in Rawalpindi and recovered a huge quantity of expired cooking oil that was being repacked for sale in the markets.

Police have registered FIRs in both cases and started investigation as per law.

Dr Salman Kazmi, a medical practitioner at Mayo Hospital, said rancid and substandard edible oils could have very negative impact on human health. “It can cause stomach, intestine, kidney and bladder related diseases, including different types of cancers,” he warned.

He highlighted that people, especially those who frequently eat from roadside kiosks and substandard restaurants, were prone to such diseases which had long-term negative effects on their health. In the short-term, these people generally suffered from gastritis and other stomach problems.



Earlier this year, the provincial food authority had clamped a ban on recycling and sale of used edible oil in the province after the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) had put the commodity under its (PFA) purview. The CJP, in a hearing, directed authorities to ensure provision of quality edible oil by stopping restaurants from selling used and rancid cooking oil to vendors for recycling and resale in the market.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2017.