KP Food Authority launches crackdown on substandard beverages
Warehouses raided in Mardan, Abbottabad; thousands of juice packs and fake drinks seized
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KPFS&HFA) has intensified its province-wide operation against the production and sale of substandard and hazardous beverages, following special directives from Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru.
In details issued on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the authority said that food safety teams conducted targeted raids in Mardan and Abbottabad, recovering large quantities of harmful drinks and sealing several units found in violation of food safety standards.
In Mardan, food safety teams raided a godown located in the Katlang Bazaar and recovered more than 6,000 packets of low-quality juice. The spokesperson noted that the juices were being produced using unsafe ingredients, including synthetic colours, artificial flavours, and saccharin, which pose significant health risks. The entire stock was confiscated, and legal notices were served to the owners. Further action is said to be underway.
Similarly, in Abbottabad’s Mirpur locality, the teams seized over 1,500 litres of counterfeit carbonated drinks from a distributor’s warehouse. The facility was sealed, and proceedings have been initiated against those responsible, the statement added.
Director General KP Food Authority Wasif Saeed, commended the field teams for their prompt action and reiterated the authority’s commitment to ensuring the provision of safe and hygienic food across the province. Wasif said that strict enforcement measures would continue under a zero-tolerance policy to eliminate the menace of adulterated and unsafe consumables.
