PFA intensifies crackdown against adulterated food

Huge quantity of dead chickens loaded on trucks was caught

LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Thursday launched an operation against chicken suppliers and confiscated eight maunds of dead chicken loaded on two trucks.

PFA Director General Irfan Nawaz Memon along with meat safety teams led the operation conducted in Tollinton Market and inspected 30 trucks. Two suppliers were caught red-handed with a huge quantity of dead chickens loaded on trucks that were about to be dispatched in and around the city’s smaller chicken points.

He said the PFA has registered cases against Sattar Poultry Supplier and Salamat Poultry Supplier in the concerned police station on supplying 320 kilogrammes of dead, sick and emaciated chicken.

He said the use of unhygienic and dead meat was not fit for human consumption and causes health problems.

The director general said all confiscated unhygienic meat was set ablaze after putting into incinerator as per eco-friendly policy. He has appealed to the citizens to buy fresh meat rather than chicken slaughtered earlier.

Meanwhile, the dairy safety teams have disposed of 4,000 litres of adulterated milk out of 30,000 litres examined at a screening picket which was set up at Kasur Bypass in the presence of DG.

The teams also detected the low level of Lactometer Reading in milk.

He said the dairy safety teams have examined the milk collection chillers and mill supply vehicles to inspect the quality of milk.

He said that teams found the low level of LR and fats in milk besides adulteration.

“The PFA is vigilantly monitoring the food industry including milk industry at all levels as per food law by placing pickets at the entry and exit points of the cities in Punjab,” he said. “The authority will not tolerate adulteration in milk at any cost.”

During a massive crackdown, PFA watchdog team sealed Naseer Milk Collection Centre in Vehari for removing cream from milk and not having a food licence. In another raid, Nayyab Foods Factory was closed down over fake labelling and use of substandard oil.

The PFA team in Bahawalpur raided a school and sealed its canteen for selling carbonated drinks. Further, the authority shut down two general stores owing to sale of adulterated spices and expired items.

The director general said the PFA disposed of 1,005 litres of adulterated milk while inspecting 3,945 litres of milk loaded on six vehicles in South Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2020.