PFA takes action against Motorway eateries serving expired food

The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) teams on Tuesday inspected 884 food outlets to ensure commuters are served wholesome, high-quality food. The inspections targeted various restaurants in motorway service zones across the state.

To verify food quality and hygiene, the teams went to cafes, restaurants, tuck stores, and other food outlets. They looked closely at the kitchens, production rooms, and other aspects of these businesses.

Five well-known eateries had to close as a result of the inspections. As many as 132 food business operators (FBOs) were also penalized a total of Rs2.575 million, and 682 additional FBOs received warning notices for improvement. Authorities also found a large quantity of drinks, seven piles of expired snacks, and forty liters of inferior cooking oil.

The PFA Director General, Muhammad Asim Javaid, gave an explanation for the closures, stating that they resulted from the selling of expired snacks, cold drinks, and other things. He went on to say that many FBOs neglected to keep hygienic conditions up to date and were unable to produce the required paperwork.

In addition to warning notes telling outlets to enhance hygiene standards and take care of minor issues, fines were imposed for breaking the Punjab Pure Food Regulations. The purpose of the inspections was to make sure that, in accordance with these requirements, the food supplied to passengers complied with cleanliness and safety standards.

On the Chief Minister’s orders, the PFA is also examining food establishments on GT Road, bus terminals, train stations, and motorway service zones. The PFA must authorize any food that is sold at these establishments.

Javaid also instructed FBOs to only purchase food items from PFA-licensed vendors and issued a warning about the ongoing enforcement of the authority’s anti-counterfeit and anti-adulterated food initiatives.

He issued a strong warning to eateries along the M1, M2, and M3 motorways to improve the quality of their cuisine, and he asked them to do so. Additionally, he urged travelers to inspect food before buying it and to contact the PFA helpline with any problems they may have.