‘Safe Food City’ aims for healthier eating

Measures include licensing, health screenings and nutritional awareness drives

LAHORE:

The Punjab Food Authority has initiated the "Safe Food City Project" to ensure the availability of clean and hygienic food and beverages in district headquarters across Punjab, mirroring major cities. This project aims to enhance revenue, combat adulteration, and boost food safety.

Under the "Safe Food City Project," the Punjab Food Authority is taking proactive steps to guarantee the provision of high-quality and wholesome food throughout Punjab, commencing in Lahore and extending to district headquarters throughout the province. A total of 135 food safety teams from across Punjab are participating in this extensive project, with an estimated 418,930 food-related businesses scheduled for inspection. The project will unfold in three phases: the first phase, continuing until December 31; the second phase from January 1 to March 31, 2024; and the third phase from April 1 to June 30, 2024.

Also read: Project launched to ensure food quality

These food safety teams have set a goal of achieving a 100 percent inspection rate for all food-related businesses in district headquarters as part of the "Safe Food City Project." These businesses will operate under the close supervision of the Punjab Food Authority and must obtain licenses.

The initiative also encompasses strategies to bolster the Punjab Food Authority's revenue, eliminate food adulteration, and ensure health screenings for employees in hotels, bakeries, and other food establishments. Comprehensive training programs for food businesses will be conducted, and the registration and labelling of all locally manufactured food products will be approved.

Rigorous inspections of water filtration plants, including those in hospitals and educational institutions, will be conducted to guarantee the provision of clean water.

Furthermore, nutrition conferences will be organized at the school level to raise awareness about food and health matters, and strict measures will be taken against counterfeit products and adulterants.

Read more: Rs1.3b released for Pindi Safe City Project

The "Safe Food City Project" will be rolled out in Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, and DG Khan.

An awareness campaign targeting citizens and manufacturers will include a flag march. These initiatives have the potential to augment the Punjab Food Authority's revenue by hundreds of millions of rupees annually through licensing, which currently stands at approximately Rs1 billion.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2023.