The government has called for nationwide action to improve food quality after testing found significant nonconformities in samples of banaspati ghee, cooking oils and milk products, with Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal warning that poor quality food could pose serious risks to public health.
Iqbal chaired a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee on Wednesday to review a Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) report on food quality and an Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) report on differences between notified and prevailing LPG prices.
The Planning Ministry said 491 samples of banaspati ghee, edible oils and milk products were collected from locations across all provinces and analyzed by PCSIR. The testing found excessive trans fat, peroxide values, free fatty acids, rancidity, moisture and other quality deficiencies in several samples.
Among banaspati ghee samples, 26 contained excessive trans fat, with levels reaching 15.87 grams per 100 grams against the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority limit of 2 grams. Vitamin A was not detected in 46 samples, while excessive peroxide values were found in 22 samples.
The findings also showed significant regional differences. In Balochistan, 79.4 percent of banaspati ghee samples failed to meet prescribed standards, followed by 63.3 percent in Sindh and 58.3 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The rates were 15.9 percent in Punjab and 5.5 percent in Islamabad Capital Territory.
In blended cooking oil, 47.7 percent of samples tested in Sindh and 46.6 percent in Balochistan were found to be nonconforming. Three of four refined palm olein samples also failed to meet the required standards.
Milk testing also raised concerns. All 26 nonconforming packaged liquid milk samples had milk fat levels below the prescribed standard, while all eight nonconforming milk powder samples had protein levels below the required range.
Iqbal directed regulatory authorities to take action against manufacturers producing substandard products, saying retailers should not be held solely responsible for deficiencies originating at the manufacturing stage.
He also called for a coordinated quality control system involving the food authorities of all four provinces, with a clear mechanism for dealing with violations. He ordered regular testing of food products and said rural markets must be included in a quarterly monitoring system.
“This is only an assessment of milk and ghee. If we start testing spices and other food products, we may find further serious deficiencies,” Iqbal said. He stressed that improving food quality was important not only for public health but also for strengthening Pakistan’s export potential.
The minister said the government’s objective was not to shut down industries but to improve product standards and ensure that consumers received safe and quality products. He also directed that the complete PCSIR report be shared with the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for further action.
The post Everyday Food Items Fail Simple Quality Tests Nationwide appeared first on ProPakistani.