LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has ramped up its efforts to ensure food safety, discarding nearly 5,000 liters of adulterated milk and 893 kilograms of diseased meat in a large-scale crackdown on Wednesday.
Food safety teams inspected 11 major food chains, oil mills, and industries, sealing five units due to serious violations, while imposing fines totaling Rs. 1.5 million on seven others. Additionally, PFA teams inspected 724 dairy shops and 156 meat godowns, resulting in fines amounting to Rs. 994,000.
PFA Director General Muhammad Asim Javaid highlighted that inspections revealed unhygienic conditions, including poor storage, rusty utensils, insect infestations, and the lack of medical certificates for workers. He also noted that food was being prepared on broken and dirty floors, violating food safety laws.
Javaid revealed that the confiscated milk and meat were meant for supply in Lahore, warning that the use of substandard and contaminated ingredients poses a serious public health risk. He emphasized PFA’s commitment to aligning all stages of food handling with international standards and urged the public to report violations via PFA’s 1223 helpline.
