ISLAMABAD, Sept 25: The government has decided to take strict action against the manufacturers and wholesalers of substandard ghee which is dangerous for human health.

According to official sources, notices are being issued to companies which had not sought specific licenses required under the law and found involved in illegal business.

Under the relevant laws, the minimum standard of blending soft and hard oil is 35 per cent and 65 per cent, respectively, which should be maintained imperatively.

The blending of edible oil on prescribed standards will enable the consumers to have healthy brands of this food stuff on one hand and will promote its local production on the other.

A market survey revealed that about 300 companies are running their business illegally and appropriate action needs to be initiated against unregistered companies to change the trend towards small and medium ghee mills.

The industry and health departments is required to work jointly to ensure the proper blending of edible oil and their efforts will provide incentives to the farmers to enhance the production of oilseed.

The callous attitude of manufacturers and wholesalers is proving dangerous for the consumers and owing to their wrong practices, markets are full of substandard and spurious foods, beverages and medicines.

The sources said there were over 250 brands of cooking oil/Banaspati/bottled water being marketed in various cities of the country. According to existing laws of Pakistan Quality Control Authority (PQCA), all manufacturers of these products, including 42 other items, have been placed on the PQCA essential items list and must be registered with the PQCA and must carry the PS standard monogram on the packages.

Another survey has revealed that only 20 manufacturers of cooking oil/Banaspati were registered with the Pakistan Quality Control Authority, whereas no bottled water manufacturers has registered their products with the PQCA.

The sources said 122 brands of cooking oil/Banaspati were sent for analysis, including some leading brands, to various private testing laboratories. Out of which only 25 brands conformed to PQCA standards, they added. Similarly, when 34 samples of bottled water were sent for analysis to Agha Khan University Hospital, Karachi, only 11 conformed to WHO standards.

There had been quality control laws in the country but these have never been implemented in due course. A 60-day notice will have to be served to unregistered firms to get the sample of their products tested from prescribed laboratories. Nine quality standard have been fixed for ghee and the producers will have to match their product with one of these standards, they added. — APP