LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has unearthed a fake beverages manufacturing unit producing carbonated drinks of different popular brands on Mustafabad Road in the provincial metropolis.
The authority discarded 220 litres of spurious carbonated drinks, prohibited chemicals, sweeteners and hazardous artificial flavours. Further, PFA confiscated 1,000 empty bottles, 65 crates, four cylinders, five blue non-food grade drums, five filling machines, labels, stoves and filtration plants.
This was informed by PFA Director General Raja Jahangir Anwar. He said that the authority also filed an FIR against the factory owner on account of adulteration and forgery.
He said that the authority took action against the factory owner for violating the Punjab Pure Food Regulations. He said that fabricated fizzy drinks were being prepared with loose colours, hazardous chemicals, artificial sweeteners and unclean tap water.
Fake beverages with fake labelling were to be supplied to the different local shops in various areas of Lahore, however, the raiding team ruined their unholy ambitions by taking timely action, he said.
He said that citizens were being misled by putting fake packaging on fake bottles. He said the use of substandard fizzy drinks causes problems for consumers’ health like liver and kidney infections. He further said that the adulteration mafia would be dealt with an iron hand under the zero-tolerance policy and all-out efforts would be made for sustainable law of the PFA in the province.
The PFA will continue to curb food-related issues and will endeavour to eliminate the adulteration mafia from Punjab, he added.