FDA's report on unsafe poultry declared baseless by PFA

PFA DG says chicken being sold in Punjab is healthy and safe

LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has rejected the American Institute’s Food and Drug Authority (FDA) report about black spot disease and an increased amount of arsenic in chicken being sold in Punjab.

The authority declared the report fake and baseless. According to PFA’s laboratory report, healthy and good quality chicken is being sold in Punjab. The PFA released the sampling report of chicken meat from across the province.

The report stated that the chicken is found to be healthy and according to standards. “The amount of arsenic in chicken meat is almost negligent,” it said. PFA Director General Muhammad Usman said that the news, based on the FDA report, was wrong and misleading.

FDA conducted the research on the medicine used to treat the disease of black spots in chicken and the amount of arsenic was increased by using that medicine. It added that the medicine, called Nitro 3 and used for black spot disease, had been obsolete in 2016.

He added that PFA collected samples of chicken across Punjab, including Lahore. The samples were taken from 30 places and all checked at international standard laboratories. According to the report, the amount of arsenic in chicken meat and liver is equal to zero, he said, adding that they have handed over the report to the Pakistan Poultry Association on their request.