Separate licence for running milk chiller unit a must

PFA Medical Screening Lab reports say 4,017 food handlers, workers were found ill during 2018

LAHORE: To curb the sale of adulterated milk across Punjab, provincial food watchdog has made it compulsory for food business operators to obtain a separate licence for running milk chiller unit and ice cream factory.

Punjab Food Authority Director General Capt (retd) Muhammad Usman has said strict action would be taken against violators. He said ice factories cannot store milk in ice blocks under the name of ice factory business. It is mandatory under the law to install chillers for storing milk. The authority would take strict legal action if adulterated milk is found in an ice factory and the premises will be sealed.

He said that the PFA is amending its laws to ensure provision of healthy and safe food at the doorstep of citizens. The PFA is vigilantly monitoring the suspicious activity of milk sellers and milkmen and the authority is committed to utilising all available resources to implement the law.

Meanwhile, annual medical screening report of the food handlers and works revealed that over 8% of staff working in food businesses and eateries found ill.

PFA Medical Screening Lab reports highlights that the authority conducted a total of 47,671 medical screening tests of food handlers, workers among them 4,017 people found ill during 2018.

PFA DG said the purpose of medical screening was to ensure the provision of safe and healthy food at ground level from safe hands. In this connection, PFA took the blood samples of more than 47,000 people among 343,654 workers were found cleared and remaining failed in the medical screening test.

Out of the 4,017 screened people, 1,689 people were suffering from typhoid, 539 people from tuberculosis (TB), 776 people from hepatitis B virus (HCV) and 1,022 people suffering from hepatitis B virus (HBV). PFA also referred some cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to concerned departments for further procedure.

Usman said that PFA would not allow any sick worker to directly participate in the preparation of food. The authority is ensuring the worker is fit and not affected by any disease. He further said that it is compulsory for food workers to get a medical certificate from the authority.

He said that medical laboratories were established for food handlers, workers for their physical examination and medical test with an aim to ensure the presence of health workers in the food industry.