‘3,430 food units fined’

Safety teams check 31,769 food points, fine 3,430 units in Sargodha division

SARGODHA:

The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) imposed a fine of Rs43.9 million on various food outlets over violations during the current year in the division.

According to a spokesman for the PFA, the authority launched a crackdown against elements involved in adulteration of food items.

The food safety teams checked 31,769 food points and fined 3,430 units in Sargodha division.

He said that the production units of 60 food outlets were shut down for poor hygiene.

Cases were registered against 85 people for adulteration while sewage-grown vegetables on 104 Kanal were also destroyed, the spokesperson said. He said that 716 samples were sent to a lab for checking quality of food.

In 2023, more than 80,000 substandard and unhealthy food items were destroyed while 21,141 food point owners were issued warning notices over violations, the spokesman added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 30^th, 2023.