Food Authority seals Swedish Dairies production in Gujranwala

GUJRANWALA: Punjab Food Authority on Thursday raided Swedish Dairies' production facility in Gujranwala and sealed it after discovering questionable processes and unhealthy elements in its products.

According to Punjab Food Authority director Badar Munir, certain chemical(s) were being used in the production process of unbranded milk. The team also found fungi, insects, and dirt in the company’s dairy products, he added.

No further development was reported, nor is it known whether Swedish Dairies, which claims to be “the most reliable name” in Pakistan’s dairy industry on its website, responded with any action.

Swedish Dairies is a supplier of dairy products to various bakeries in the locality.

Earlier, Geo News reported that Punjab Food Authority was ordered by the Supreme Court to conduct quality and plant checks of the milk-producing companies in the province, and obtain samples of their products. It also advised the authority to test the samples in a dedicated lab.

The case was resumed on Tuesday. In a report filed by Punjab Food Authority director general Noor-ul-Amin Mengal, it was noted that products made by Haleeb Foods, Acha Milk, Al-Fazl Food, Doce, and Al-Fajr Food are all unsafe.

Formalin – a chemical used in dead bodies’ preservation – along with sugarcane juice was discovered in Haleeb Foods’ milk. Consequently, Al-Fazl Foods lost its production license, Doce Milk faced a suspension and fine, Acha Milk was fined and its production process halted for a week, and Al-Fajr Foods’ factory was sealed.

Justice Saqib Nisar, who is monitoring the case, commented, “If we cannot provide safe milk to children, we cannot do anything.”