The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Monday conducted a crackdown on businesses violating health standards in the division and imposed heavy fines on various outlets. According to details, the PFA teams during the inspection targeted pickles and preserves units, transport station containers, and grinding units, seizing over 250-kg of preserves, 140-kg of pest-infested pickles, 50 liters of substandard mixtures, and 7-kg of banned ingredients. Three factories using hazardous ingredients in food production were fined a total of Rs 100,000. Meanwhile, a spice grinding unit near New Central Jail was fined Rs 30,000 after it was found using artificial coloring in turmeric powder.

A canteen at the M4 Motorway Interchange was fined Rs 15,000 for using expired food products. The crackdown also extended to pickles and preserves unit in Burewala, where inspection discovered significant quantities of products contaminated with dead insects. The contaminated items were immediately destroyed, and the food business owners were fined Rs 30,000 for non-compliance with food safety standards. Director General PFA Muhammad Asim Javed stated that every business related to food was being checked on a daily basis.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan