The Punjab Food Authority (PFA), which enforces food hygiene and quality standards in provinces decided to impose a ban on the sale of loose milk across the Province.
Director General Punjab Food Authority Mudassar Riyaz told the reporters that in the first phase, the sale of loose milk would be banned in Lahore, adding that a mechanism had been devised for the sale and transportation of milk and will be implemented gradually in the province in phases.
Also Read : Punjab Government introduces Mazdoor Card in Province
He said that the decision was taken to make the supply of unpacked milk traceable, and the ban will be imposed in several phases starting from some significant areas in Lahore.
According to DG Food Authority, “The dairy farms will be registered and the quality of milk will be tested on a regular basis”
DG Food Authority Riyaz said that loose milk sold to 15,000 houses were tested and during the testing phase it was found that the milk was adulterated and unhealthy. “Packed milk will now be sold at street shops in Lahore,” he added.
He said that the authority was negotiating with the dairy farmer’s association and further decisions will be taken by taking all stakeholders into confidence.
Remember here one thing that in most developed countries, loose milk (sold in clear glass bottles) is also pasteurized according to given standards.
Milk and milk products provide a wealth of nutritional benefits. But raw milk, i.e., unpasteurized milk, can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to you and your family.
Raw milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria. Raw milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, and others that cause food-borne illness, often called “food poisoning.”
On the other hand, UHT-treated milk is a raw milk that has been heated to a specified temperature and time to kill pathogens that may be found in the raw milk.
According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , in a period ranging from 1993 to 2012, there were 127 outbreaks linked to raw milk or raw milk products like ice cream, soft cheese, or yogurt. They resulted in 1,909 illnesses and 144 hospitalizations.
