LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) continued a crackdown on milk adulteration mafia in different parts of the city for the second consecutive day on Friday and discarded 4,600 litres of tainted milk.

Separately, the food authority shut down 24 food points and served notices on more than 200 food business operators for bringing improvement as per the PFA Act.

PFA Director General Irfan Memon said the action was taken to control the practice of adulteration in food.

He said dairy safety teams had inspected milk by placing screening pickets on the entry and exit points of the city till late on Thursday night. During the inspection, the teams disposed of 115 maund milk being carried on different vehicles for supplying in the provincial metropolis from dairy farms. He said the PFA disposed of adulterated milk over proved contamination of water, hazardous powder and other chemicals which had been used to enhance the thickness and quantity of milk.

The PFA Gujranwala team sealed Babu Gee Super Store for selling expired food items, not paying fine fee and selling loose spices.

A team sealed Blund Dye Food Colour Industry in Mandi Bhauddin for not using filter water and not mentioning expiry area.

In Narowal, Iqbal Salt Unit was sealed over proved contamination in red chilli and poor cleanliness arrangements. Shahzad Beef Shop was sealed for not adopting proper slaughtering system and for not covering meat.

In Sargodha, the PFA sealed Punjab Chicken Shop over unhygienic conditions. The teams also shut down Naveed Karyana Store and Golden Brand Spices for selling hazardous spices and non-compliance of instructions. In another raid, the authority closed down Aziz Khoya Unit for producing adulterated khoya.

Meanwhile, PFA teams sealed five karyana stores owing to adulteration, worst condition of hygiene and for selling tainted spices.

The PFA also raided Al-Farooq Food Café and sealed it for using rancid oil, and for not having medical certificates.

A team sealed Al-Rafiq Foods for violation of labelling rules, selling spurious tea leaves and doing business without getting a food licence in Layyah.

Al-Hussain Soda Water factory was sealed for misbranding and failing to produce a record.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2020