The federal government is likely to introduce three new food items in the compulsory marks scheme of Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), well informed sources told Business Recorder. PSQCA is a statutory body working under the administrative control of Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) and as per its Act is the national standard body responsible for monitoring quality of products falling under the compulsory certification marking scheme.
The PSQCA and Government of Pakistan have adopted 22070 ISO Standards and developed 8857 Pakistan Standards. Food Standards are aligned with Codex Alimentarius Commission and traceable with WHO. These standards are on food items and related products. The Government of Pakistan has declared 107 products as mandatory out of which 37 are food products.
On the recommendation of National Standard Committee (NSC) to ensure health and safety of consumers, PSQCA has proposed following food items for inclusion in the compulsory mark scheme of PSQCA: (i) coffee & its preparation; (ii) fortified wheat flour (Aata); and (iii) fruit juices and nectars.
The National Standard Organisation of any country is responsible for highlighting the health and safety related issues and formulating food standards for enforcement to ensure health and safety of consumers. PSQCA has formulated food standards after detailed deliberations with food experts. All scientific values essential for health of consumers are specified in the standards.
The sources said national quality standards of the three items have already been developed by PSQCA and laboratory testing facilities are also available.
The PSQCA has proposed inclusion of the three food items in its compulsory certification mark scheme of PSQCA.
As per section 14 of PSQCA Act 1996, the federal government may, in consultation with the Authority and by notification in the official gazette, prohibit in manufacturing, storage and sale of any article specified therein which does not conform to the Pakistan Standard.
The products which conform to the Pakistan standard are marked with distinctive mark/ logo of PSQCA.
However, it appears that PSQCA is unable to implement its decisions like in bottled water and vegetable Ghee/ edible oil standards as it has declared a number of bottled water samples unhygienic but all those companies are still selling their products.