The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) sealed three food production units, discarded 400 litres of substandard and repeatedly used cooking oil, and imposed fines worth Rs400,000 on two food businesses during enforcement operations in various areas of Lahore. The operations were conducted on the directions of PFA Director General (DG) Syed Musa Raza as part of the authority’s ongoing campaign to ensure food quality and compliance with food safety regulations.
Units Sealed for Serious Violations
Food safety teams sealed a snacks manufacturing unit in Mustafa Colony for preparing food products using substandard and repeatedly used cooking oil. Two other food production units located in Sundar Industrial Estate and Small Industrial Estate were also sealed over serious violations of food safety standards. According to PFA DG Syed Musa Raza, inspection teams found that mandatory employees’ medical certificates and food safety training certificates were unavailable at the units.
Poor sanitation arrangements and the presence of insects in storage areas were also observed during inspections. The DG said papad and nimko were being prepared using substandard and repeatedly used cooking oil, while mandatory supply records, oil replacement logs, disposal records and other required documentation were missing.
Rusted Drums and Unhygienic Conditions
The DG highlighted that rusted drums were being used for oil storage in violation of food safety regulations. Packing materials were found placed directly on broken and dirty floors, and food packaging activities were carried out in unhygienic conditions, creating a serious risk of contamination. Syed Musa Raza stated that the Punjab Food Authority is maintaining strict monitoring at every stage of the food supply chain, from production to distribution, to ensure the availability of safe and quality food for consumers.
Crackdown Against Food Fraud
The DG said the authority would continue its crackdown against elements involved in food adulteration and violations of food safety laws, adding that every tactic used by the food fraud mafia would be defeated through strict enforcement measures. He emphasized that the Punjab Food Authority remains committed to making Lahore and the entire province free from adulteration and ensuring the provision of safe food to the public.
