Ghee packaging: Govt concedes recycled packaging may lead to diseases

KARACHI:

The sub-standard and used canisters or tins used to pack cooking oil, ghee and other edible items can cause abdominal diseases such as gastroenteritis, admitted the health department in court on Thursday.

The Sindh health secretary was responding to a petition that has challenged the reuse and use of this kind of packaging.

The petition was filed by a self-styled social worker Imran Shehzad who named top officials. He argues that a single use endangers the lives of people.

He referred to the high number of cases of food poisoning and other life-threatening diseases, which he attributed to the packaging which should not have been recycled.

The hearing was fixed for Thursday but was adjourned as the Sindh government had declared a public holiday in mourning for Pir Pagara.

The health secretary disclosed in his written comments that the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has a regulation and quality control (health) department, empowered to take action against the adulteration and contaminated of food and drinks manufactured within its jurisdiction.

A CDGK food lab also exists to assess samples but no details were given.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2012.