MINGORA: The district administration here on Wednesday sealed at least 13 food outlets for making substandard edible items.

Receiving complaints from local people and doctors about the substandard snacks and other food items, the officials of district administration raided the food factories, situated in residential areas and being run without licence.

The raiding team, led by Assistant Commissioner Abdul Nasir and District Food Controller Abubakar, was consisted of additional assistant commissioner and local police.

“We received complaints about increasing number of diseases among children owing to consumption of substandard snacks and other food items. We raided the factories and found hazardous food items there,” said Mr Nasir.

He said that action the factory owners would be taken under Food Act.

Speaking on the occasion, the food controller said that raids on the factories, which prepared substandard food items or being run without licence, would continue.

Hamayun, owner of a food factory in Malookabad area, said that he was running his factory in a rented building where he could not fulfil the requirements of government.

Irshad Ali, a resident of Panr area, said that his niece got a stomach problem after eating substandard snacks.

“The doctor, after conducting an endoscopy, found that she had severe digestive tract. The doctor stopped her from eating snacks,” he said.

According to sources, about 300 children suffer from stomach and throat problems on daily basis owing to eating substandard snacks.

“About 80 per cent of the children patients suffer from stomach and gastrointestinal disorder diseases, caused by substandard snacks,” said Zahoor Ali, a doctor in Saidu Sharif.

According to locals, Mingora is a hub of illegal snacks factories where substandard food items are prepared. They accused the district food controller of allowing the illegal factories to operate.

“These factories have been functional for many years in the residential areas but the food controller did not bother to take action against them,” said Iftikhar Khan, a resident of Malookabad.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2016