Special report issued: Food authority says spices factories still using China salt

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Authority on Monday issued a special report on spices industries of the province. As per the report, the KP Food Authority with a mandate to ensure food safety and hygiene standards in open and local spices business raided local small-scale grinding and process units from time to time."A total number of 247 processing units have been inspected 449 times in Peshawar, Bannu, Swat, Mardan, Kohat, Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan," it read. The report stated that adulteration of wheat straw, rice husk, rancid oil, local substandard colours, china salt were found in spices industries."Poor premises and personal hygiene of the food handlers and unavailability of medical fitness certificates of the workers were also observed," the report revealed. According to the report, misbranding and no proper labelling, improper cleaning of raw material and use of old rusted machinery are the major reasons of low-quality products."No proper storage after and before of production and improper pest control inside premises were the observations of the inspection teams. Most of the spices factories grinding on the open ground which is totally against food safety standards," it explained.The report recommends that proper product formulation and composition, control and check on raw material, ensure traceability and product blending should be introduced to cope with adulteration.It also suggested that process control, proper packaging and labelling, maintenance of personal and premises hygiene should be ensured. "The factories and grinding units should ensure medical screening of workers, replacement of rusted equipment and machinery, proper maintenance of storage and follow all SOPs of the authority" it proposed. In the post operations section, the report added that 30 per cent improvement in premises hygiene 45 per cent in personal hygiene has been observed while 50 per centmedical screening and 30 per cent replacement of rusted machinery and equipment already being done.It also read that due to close quarter battle with adulterators, the authority has reduced 50 per cent adulteration in the market and raw material storage conditions are now improving with every passing day.Commenting on the report, Director General of the authority, Riaz Khan Mahsud said that spices business to be improved and upgraded with food standards. He said that the spices industry was the backbone of the food business of the province. "We are regulating the food businesses to improve its economy and standards to deliver the best products to the market," said the director general.

from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2GK9s5Y