LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has decided to allow only qualified and approved companies for supplying eatables to hospitals, educational institutions, recreational places and government offices canteens.

Additional Director General (Operations) Rafia Haider said the PFA would standardise all bakeries and catering companies in the pre-qualification process and release a comprehensive list of all successful firms. The purpose of the pre-qualification round is to appreciate those companies which are following the rules and regulations of PFA.

Rafia Haider said canteen owners/contractors would be bound to purchase food products from authorised companies/suppliers and they would also have to maintain the record of sale and purchase.

She said action would be taken against canteen owners and suppliers in case of finding any hygiene issues or selling banned products.Meanwhile, the PFA teams closed 21 food businesses and imposed fine worth Rs656,500 on 87 points during province-wide inspection. The purpose of the crackdown was to ensure the quality of food at shops. The teams also sealed production units, sweet bakers, restaurants, dairy units, water soda factory and general stores during the day-long activity.

The teams sealed three food outlets each in Faisalabad and DG Khan, six in Gujranwala, four in Sargodha, one in Multan and two each in Rawalpindi and Sahiwal.

The teams also imposed fine to the tune of Rs207,500 on 27 food businesses in Gujranwala, Rs75,500 fine on 14 in Sargodha, Rs135,000 on 15, Rs94,000 in Multan, Rs31,500 on nine in Rawalpindi, Rs32,000 on four in Sahiwal and Rs49,000 on eight others in Faisalabad division.

The teams discarded 20​0kg non-food grade colour, 10,000 rotten eggs, 950 litre adulterated milk, 25 litre skimmed milk, energy drinks, 200 packs of snacks, Chinese salt, adulterated sweets, 150 litre rancid oil, sugar syrup, fake ketchup, and many other products.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2018