Authority destroys 200 kgs of unhealthy meat

The Food Control Cell of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board took action against food safety violations and destroyed 200 kgs of substandard meat and sealed a manufacturing unit involved in producing low-quality ketchup on Saturday. The crackdown, conducted in areas like Dhok Syedan, Misaryal Road, Hasnain Street, and Tench Bhatta, targeted the illicit sale of unhygienic meat, sourced from unauthorised slaughterhouses lacking official approval seals. The food control cell's staff confiscated and incinerated 200 kilograms of subpar mutton and beef in a public display, simultaneously issuing hefty fines and challans to offending butchers. Additionally, a significant quantity of tomato ketchup from a substandard and counterfeit factory was seized in the Sadar Coal Centre area of Rawalpindi. Alongside the confiscation of ketchup, the equipment used in its production was impounded, and the dubious factory responsible for the inferior product was promptly shut down. The enforcement action extended to private markets where food items were being sold without adherence to hygiene regulations, including missing date menus and expiry labels. Such non-compliant items were seized and disposed of on a large scale. In response to these violations, Cantonment Executive Officer Syed Ali Irfan Rizvi issued strict directives to the food control cell, emphasising a zero-tolerance policy toward unhygienic food sales within the Cantt area. Those found flouting hygiene laws and peddling unhealthy foodstuffs face severe penalties, including imprisonment and substantial fines. These measures aim to deter price-gouging practices and ensure public safety. Furthermore, the food control cell has instructed meat vendors not to trade in sick or unfit animals, underscoring the board's commitment to upholding food quality standards. Multiple teams under the cell's purview continued inspections and sampling procedures, submitting samples to the Cantt laboratory for evaluation. Any deviations from quality norms, whether substandard or compliant, will result in appropriate legal actions against the responsible parties, reinforcing the cantonment board's dedication to curbing the production and sale of unsafe food products, officials said. Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2024.  

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