LAHORE: The enforcement teams of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Wednesday stopped the production of five well-known bakeries on quality parameters and violations of the labelling laws during different raids in the provincial metropolis.
On the directions of PFA Director General Raja Jahangir Anwar, food safety teams launched an inspection drive against bakeries in Lahore to ensure the provision of adulteration-free food. The teams thoroughly inspected the hygiene, food quality and safety standards during a daylong operation.
Raja Jahangir Anwar said that the authority shut down the production units of five bakeries on Dil Muhammad Road, Defence Road, Raiwind Road, Multan Road and in the Kot Lakhpat area. He said that the authority has taken bread and burger bun samples for a screening test on the spot and taken action against the bakeries over found results not up to the mark. He said that an excessive quantity of yeast was being used in bakery items against the PFA rules.
He said the raiding team witnessed the mandatory badge number on the label used for packaging was found to be missing besides wrong labelling.
The PFA’s slogan of providing healthy food ‘From Farm to Fork’ is not merely a saying but is the top priority of the authority while the authority would continue its indiscriminate action against counterfeiters and adulterators till complete elimination from Punjab, he added.
He appealed to the public to read the writing on the label before purchasing any foodstuff. He further said that if you see adulterated items being made somewhere, report it to PFA on its 1223 helpline.