ISLAMABAD: A nationwide food quality assessment has found that several samples of ghee, edible oil and dairy products failed to meet prescribed standards. The findings have raised concerns about food safety and public health in Pakistan.
PCSIR Tests Reveal Food Quality Issues
The findings came during a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee. Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal chaired the meeting.
The Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) prepared the report. It examined 491 samples collected from across the country.
According to the report, 26 ghee samples contained trans-fat levels several times above the permissible limit. Another 46 samples did not contain the required amount of Vitamin A.
Several samples also showed excessive moisture and signs of an unpleasant odor.
Dairy Products Also Fail Standards
The quality review also found major issues in dairy products.
Twenty-six packaged milk samples contained less fat than the required level. Eight milk powder samples also failed to meet the prescribed protein standards.
The report highlighted major differences in food quality between provinces.
In Balochistan, 79.4 percent of ghee samples failed to meet the required standards. Sindh followed with 63.3 percent, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 58.3 percent.
The report also found that none of the packaged milk samples collected from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa met the required quality standards.
Ahsan Iqbal Orders Immediate Action
Addressing the meeting, Ahsan Iqbal described substandard food as a serious threat to public health.
He directed the relevant authorities to take immediate action.
The minister said the rising incidence of heart disease among young people was closely linked to poor-quality food products.
The committee decided to forward the PCSIR report to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
It also directed authorities to establish a joint quality control system with provincial food authorities.
The committee further called for an effective quarterly monitoring system to regularly check food quality.
Committee Reviews LPG Prices
The meeting also reviewed liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices.
An Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) report highlighted a significant gap between official and market prices.
Following the discussion, the committee instructed the Ministry of Petroleum and OGRA to resolve the issue within three days.
Ahsan Iqbal noted that nearly 80 percent of Pakistan’s population depends on LPG for household use.
He stressed that providing relief to consumers remains a government priority.
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