LAHORE   -   The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) shut down six cooking centres and imposed Rs 4.367 million fine on 373 food outlets besides issuing warning notices for improvement to 1,000 others. PFA Director General Muhammad Asim Javaid told media on Tuesday that a special task force of the PFA visited more than 2,300 cooking centres and Langar Khana (soup kitchen)in a daylong operation. The teams thoroughly inspected the food safety standards and quality parameters.  He said the PFA’s enforcement teams inspected 317 cooking centers in Lahore division, 410 in Faisalabad, 175 in Sahiwal, 286 in Rawalpindi, 276 in Gujranwala, 216 in Sargodha, 198 in Multan, 199 in DG Khan and 154 in Bahawalpur divisions.The provincial food regulatory body stopped the production of cooking centres due to using loose spices, rotten vegetables, unhygienic meat and other substandard food ingredients, he said. Meanwhile, PFA’s special food safety teams penalized 373 food business operators for failing to meet a hygienic working environment. He said that teams would perform duties in two shifts and check all food points without any discrimination. The DG said that food safety teams will remain in the field during Ashura days while citizens can report any food-related complaints on PFA helpline 1223.