SFA seals five Karachi food outlets over use of expired ingredients, unhygienic conditions

KARACHI: The Sindh Food Authority (SFA) has sealed at least five food outlets in various parts of the metropolis over unhygienic conditions and for using expired ingredients, a spokesperson said Sunday.

In a statement, the spokesperson said the the food safety regulatory body carried out the raids based on tip-offs against the five fast food and barbecue eateries in different areas of Karachi's Central and South districts. The operation was conducted on SFA Director-General Amjad Ali Laghari's directives.

During the inspection, poor hygiene conditions — including rust and cockroaches — were found at the restaurants and the condition of freezers was poor. There was no proper drainage system at the eateries either, the SFA added.

The spokesperson said the food outlets were using substandard raw materials in their cooking and had also not applied for a license.

The expired items recovered from the restaurants were destroyed on the spot and heavy fines worth Rs220,000 in total were imposed. The eateries have been temporarily sealed until further notice.