LAHORE           -           The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) sealed a grinding unit and discarded 5,200kg expired spices on Friday. PFA Director General Irfan Memon along with food safety team raided at AF Foods Grinding unit in Badami Bagh and foiled an attempt to supply a huge cache of expired and contaminated spices to the market. He said that expired spices were being packed in a new packing after changing the expiry dates of the product. The raiding team also observed rats and lizards in the storage area causing the worst condition of hygiene. During the operation, the provincial food regulatory body discarded 2,800kg fungus effected expired red chilli powder; 1,200kg cumin and 200kg tamarind powder. He said the use of expired and tainted spices was injurious to health and could cause cancer of stomach and intestines. According to the Punjab Food Authority laws, the sale of expired food items was a heinous and serious crime, he said, adding that it was compulsory for food business operators (FBOs) to update the record after discarding the expired food. The director general further said that Punjab’s food safety watchdogs would monitor the suspicious activities of the FBOs during the holy month of Ramazan and would take strict action against the violators as per law. He said that the authority would continue its indiscriminate action against counterfeiters and adulterators till their complete elimination.