Eight different edibles banned

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halaal Food has imposed ban on more than eight different edibles items to impprove food safety and hygiene Director General Riaz Khan Mehsud told media persons that a committee of experts had recommended the authority to ban some products and improve others. He said after being operational in seven divisional districts of KP including Peshawar, the authority has now impose ban on different edible items with respect to specific terms and conditions.
Riaz Khan Mehsud explained that a scientific committee comprising more than twenty PhD's doctors and food experts has hold a meeting earlier where ban on several items were discussed and proposed. Director General revealed the media that the following items were banned and some of them were given grace period to get improved. Carbonated drinks, chips / papar, and energy drinks will not be available at educational institutes. Scientific evidence highlighting the dangers of hazardous food will be provided by the Khyber Medical University, said Committee Member Dr Ziaul Haq.
Riaz Khan explained that spices may also be banned if the presence of aflatoxins is detected. Sale of loose spices and salts would be banned after a year-long period. In addition, calcium carbide is deeply embedded in the market and therefore a two-year grace period will be provided before products carrying it are banned. Alternatives to calcium carbide will be suggested by the authority after conducting research in collaboration with research institutes.
Pan, Chalia, Gutka, Chooran, chewing tobacco and Naswar would be banned due to their carcinogenic nature and that a six-month grace period will be provided to ensure that the processing of banaspati ghee is modified to ensure safety. Ice-cream and similar products would only be allowed to be sold if they are using safe and hygienic ingredients. Intra-agency cooperation for environmental safety and product labeling would be ensured, he added. DG said that spices should be first checked for the presence of aflatoxins and then should be banned on that basis. The adulteration and expired spices are being used again in new packaging material, he added.
The senior official said use of calcium carbide is very cheap and is embedded in the whole system so that it will take long time to replace it with ethylene or any other ripening agent. It is decided that a grace period of two years should be granted and after it should be considered for complete ban. Gutka, pan, Chalia and Chooran are recommended to be banned in KP as they are made of harmful and carcinogenic contents items.
"Ajino Motto" commonly known as china salt has been banned by the worthy Supreme Court of Pakistan. Although its scientific name is Monosodium Glutamate, it is sold and available in the market as "Ajino motto". Therefore, a ban on the brand of Ajino Motto is decided with immediate effect, the DG said.
Nickel, which is used as catalyst in the process of making banaspati ghee, is injurious for health and hydrogenation process should be modified and complete saturation should be replaced by partial saturation. So the health hazards of Hydrogenations to be reviewed in future expert committee meetings to formulate standards for this process. Six months time will be given to all the industries to make the necessary arrangements regarding the effluents so that it can be recycled / treated, instead of draining it into fresh water sources. Also the role of irrigation department, and Environmental Protection Department would be highlighted and strong coordination with them is about to take place from the authority to mainstream the issue.