The Sindh Food Authority Act 2016 came into force in April, 2018 and Sindh Food Authority has been established with application to the whole province of Sindh under Section-3 (1) of the said Act. The operational activities by Sindh Food Authority have been started in the 1st week of April, 2018.
Under Section 20 of Sindh Food Authority Act 2016, the improvement notices along with check lists to the following have been issued during inspection.
|
S.No |
Name of Organization |
Number of letters |
Category |
Annexures |
|
1 |
Govt. Hospitals of Sindh | 30 | In Patient/Canteen | Annexure “A” |
| 2 | Govt. Medical Colleges of Sindh | 06 | Canteen |
Annexure “B” |
|
3 |
Private Hospitals of Karachi | 114 | In Patient/Canteen | Annexure “C” |
|
4 |
Restaurants of Karachi | 2859 | Restaurant |
Annexure “D” |
| 5 | Ice Factory of Karachi | 103 | ICE Manufacturing |
Annexure “E” |
|
6 |
Sweets, Bakers, & Nimco | 1643 | Bakers | Annexure “F” |
| 7 | Catering (Pakwan Centre) | 555 | Kitchen |
Annexure “G” |
|
8 |
Milk Producer | 96 | Milk |
Annexure “H” |
|
9 |
Milk Wholesaler | 96 | Milk |
Annexure “I” |
|
10 |
Milk Retailer Shop | 120 | Milk |
Annexure “J” |
|
11 |
Mutton/Beef and Chicken | 91 | Mutton, Beef, Chicken |
Annexure “K” |
|
12 |
Slaughter House | 2 | Slaughter |
Annexure “L” |
|
13 |
Bottle Drinking Water/Mineral Water | 189 | Drinking Water |
Annexure “M” |
|
14 |
Open Oil and Ghee | 14 | Oil and Ghee |
Annexure “N” |
|
15 |
Packed Milk Companies | 07 | Packed Milk |
|
| 16 | Pickle (Achaar) | 2 | Pickle |
Annexure ”O” |
| TOTAL | 6027 |
The notices to the following are being issued by operation wing within a month.
|
S.No |
Category |
|
1 |
Beverage/Soft Drinks |
| 2 |
Poultry Farm/Poultry Feed |
|
3 |
Flour Mills |
| 4 |
Spices and Packing Material |
|
5 |
Canteens for Prisoners in Jail |
The Director Operation held meetings with the chairman Pakistan Hotel Association, chairman All Pakistan Restaurants Association, Chairman Pakistan Dairy Association, Bakers/Sweets and Nimco, Milk Producers, Milk Wholesaler and Retailers Associations/stake Holders with the view that improvement of food or edible items should be up to the Regulations of Sindh Food Authority. The Chairmen of Associations have been convinced to influence their other members to bring necessary improvement in the light of improvement notices and checklist. Accordingly all chairmen/stake holders of association have assured to cooperate with Sindh Food Authority for sustainable change (Annexure “P”). We believe that a sustainable positive change is only possible with the cooperation of stake holders and consumers’ awareness.
In Pursuance of Improving notices, field inspections/surprise visits have been started under Section 17 & 43 of Sindh Food Authority Act 2016. The Final Improvement Notices followed by the Checklist have been served to different stakeholders. Total 139 number food business holder have been served final improvement notices to Restaurant, Bakers/Sweets & Nimco and Hospital Canteens. The Registration and Licensing of food business holders has been started. The Registration/Licensing form can be downloaded from Sindh Food Authority website www.sfa.gos.pk or can visit Sindh Food Authority office.
It is submitted that Sindh Food Authority has sealed Sixty six (66) illegal factories under Section 17 & 43 of Sindh Food Authority Act 2016. After satisfactory reports received from the accredited laboratory and payment of penalty/fine, the factories have been re-opened with the condition to comply as per checklist.
|
S.No |
Category | Number of Premises Sealed |
| 1 | Confectioners |
5 |
|
2 |
Nimco | 2 |
| 3 | Spices |
1 |
|
4 |
Sweets | 3 |
| 5 | Ice Cream |
1 |
|
6 |
Chocolate | 1 |
| 7 | Fat Oil/Ghee |
2 |
|
8 |
Drinking Bottled Water | 2 |
| 9 | Brown Onion |
2 |
|
10 |
Restaurants | 13 |
| 11 | Milk Selling Point |
7 |
|
12 |
Open Oil/Ghee | 9 |
| 13 | Ketchup, Mayonnaise & Sauces |
2 |
|
14 |
Pickle | 2 |
| 15 | Khoya (Mawa) |
10 |
|
Total |
66 |
The operation team of Sindh Food Authority have imposed penalty/fine on more than fifty (50) different Food Business Operators under section 26 & 32 of Sindh Food Authority Act 2016. According to the law, Authority shall impose fine which may extend to Rs. One million with imprisonment for six month, or both.
The Sindh Food Authority have lodged F.I.Rs against different illegal factories under Section 32 & 43 of Sindh Food Authority Act 2016.
|
S.No |
Category | Number of FIR |
|
1 |
Sweets | 3 |
| 2 | Chocolate |
1 |
| 3 | Open Fat Oil/Ghee |
1 |
|
4 |
Open Oil/Ghee | 9 |
| Total |
14 |
Under section 25 (2) of Sindh Food Authority Act 2016, Sindh Food Authority has to establish its own Food Testing Laboratories. Till then Sindh Food Authority has accredited with the SGS, Pakistan, InterTek Pakistan and Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) for testing of food samples.
Currently, in pursuance of report/findings of Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of Pakistan, the Sindh Food Authority has banned following Mineral Water in Sindh province, Notification No.D.G/ DIR (OPR)/SFA/4071, 4072 & 4590/2018 Dated 30th Aug, & 26th Oct, 2018. (Annexure “Q”)
| 1. Edlen Premium | 7. Aqua Super Life | 13. Aqua Gold |
| 2. Pure Aqua | 8. Shiraz | 14. 3 Star |
| 3. Livion | 9. Aqua Spalash | 15. Douro |
| 4. Pure 18 | 10. Marina | 16. Real Plus |
| 5. Aab-e-Noor | 11. Aqua Fine | 17. Crystal Maya |
| 6. Gourement | 12. Zam |
It is submitted that Sindh Food Authority has notified Scientific Panel under Section 14 (1) of Sindh Food Authority Act 2016. The Scientific Panel is mainly responsible to assist Authority in technical matters. (Annexure “R”)
Consequent upon the recommendations of the Scientific Panel in its first meeting which was held on 04th September, 2018, following food items have been Banned/Restricted with immediate effect. (Annexure “S”)
| 1 | Carbonated Soft Drinks, Energy Drinks, Papad and Coloured flavor Snack/Chips | Banned in School & College Canteens |
| 2 | Slaughtering of Small Animals (Calf) | Banned |
| 3 | Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) | Banned |
| 4 | Sale of Loose Spices | One year grace period granted (Till September, 2019) |
| 5 | Calcium Carbide as fruits ripening source | One year grace period granted (Till September, 2019) |
| 6 | Mislabeling | Followed as per PSQCA Standards e.g, it should be clearly mention on the tea whitener “YE DODH NAHI HAI” |
| 7 | Rangkat Bleaching agent (Sodium Hydro Sulphite and Sodium Hydro-chloride) | Banned only for manufacturing sweets items |
| 8 | Open Oil / Ghee | Banned |
Sindh Food Authority strongly believes in Nutrition of Food besides Food Hygiene. In this context in close liaison with National Fortification Alliance (NFA), the Sindh Food Authority received suggestions from Food Fortification Programme (FFP) and Nutrition International (NI) and made part of its Regulation.