LAHORE : Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has sealed 10 sweet and bakery units and imposed fines exceeding Rs13.13 million on 653 outlets during a province-wide crackdown on adulteration, inspecting 818 bakery units and 1,478 sweet shops.
According to the PFA Director General Muhammad Asim Javaid, 1,579 units were also issued improvement notices over violations of food safety regulations.
During the operation, authorities discarded large quantities of substandard and hazardous food items, including 830kg sweets and cakes, 436 broken eggs, 120 litre oil, 531kg expired items, 466 litre juices and cold drinks, and 80kg other products. The DG said that broken and substandard eggs recovered from bakery units were intended to be used in preparation of cakes and other items.
He added that poor hygiene conditions were observed, including storage of food in foul-smelling, fungus-infested freezers and the presence of contaminated water on broken floors. He said that food was being prepared using used oil, while mandatory records of purchases and oil changes were also missing in several outlets. The crackdown was carried out under the directions of SACM Salma Butt as part of ongoing efforts to ensure provision of safe and quality food to the public.
