LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has imposed a complete ban on the sale of ‘Lactalis’ brand products in the Punjab over Salmonella contamination fears. PFA has launched vigorous crackdown and limited Lactalis stocks to warehouses. Dozens of shops throughout the Punjab were checked on Tuesday, including in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Jehlum, Sialkot, Sargodha and other districts. PFA Director General Noorul Amin Mengal said that Lactalis sale would be completely banned. He said that further action would be taken about strategy and future of brand under the light of recommendations sought in a report. He said that several cases had been reported about effects of this product on children in France. “Salmonella is a result of infections spread in the result of tripe diseases of animals. This bacteria may cause severe diseases including diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps in children,” he said. Mengal appealed to parents not to use Lactalis’s products. Earlier, French baby milk formula maker Lactalis had ordered a global product recall over fears of salmonella contamination. Health authorities in France said 26 infants in the country have become sick since early December. The recall affects products and exports to countries including Britain, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sudan. Lactalis is one of the world’s biggest dairy producers. Company spokesman Michel Nalet said that nearly 7,000 tonnes of production might have been contaminated, but the company was currently unable to say how much remained on the market or consumed. Separately, PFA sealed a honey unit for producing fake honey. Honey was being manufactured with the help of sugar syrup and glucose. PFA seized 2,000 kilogrammes substandard honey during the raid. Mengal said that a food safety team had raided the production unit of Azizullah Honey after receiving a tipoff. He said that PFA caught workers busy in the preparing fake honey by using sugar syrup and glucose. He said that honeycombs were also prepared with the help of foam and plaster of Paris, which was kept in honey buckets and drums in order to deceive people. He said that the culprit had put behind the bars after the registration of an FIR against factory owner for producing fake honey, honeycombs and deceived citizens in the Nulakha Police Station. He said that consumption of honey increased in winter season. PFA has sent the honey samples for laboratory testing after collecting from several honey companies. “PFA will soon release a list of authentic and standard honey companies that will help citizens identify fake honey manufacturers, who are selling their products by deceiving the consumers in the name of fresh and original honey,” he added. Published in Daily Times, December 13th 2017.