The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has issued notices to 13 packaged liquid milk processing units to get certification marks licence, Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanvir Hussain informed the Senate on Tuesday.
In response to various questions during the Question Hour, the minister said notices issued to the milk manufactures, included Premier Dairies, Gourmet Foods, Shakarganj Food Products, Noon Pakistan Ltd, Nestle Pakistan Ltd, Adams Milk Food Pvt Ltd, Haleeb Food Ltd, SMPL LHR, Anhaar, Engro Foods, Al-Tahur, Bake Master and Doce Foods.
He said the six processing units had already approached the PSQCA for obtaining certification marks licence. Those manufactures approached for certifications included Adam Foods Sahiwal/Adams, Engro Foods/Olpers, Haleeb Foods/Haleeb, Al-Tahur Limited/Prema & Neutra, Premier Dairy/Malmo and Dairy Land.
He said that the plant inspections for Quality Assurance and Quality Control of Packaged Liquid Milk of six processing units had been completed, adding that samples had been collected and sent to laboratories for testing.
The minister told the Senate that after evaluation of laboratory results and conformity assessment compliance, licences would be issued to processing units. After issuance of the licences to the processing units, continuous monitoring / surveillance would be performed as per the PSQCA Act VI of 1996 and CA Rules 2011, he added.
The minister said that the packaged liquid milk had not been earlier included in the mandatory list of the PSQCA; however, taking into consideration of the issues raised in the print and electronic media regarding the selling of sub-standard packaged liquid milk in the country, the subject was included in the mandatory list of the PSQCA in September 2016.
The authority has put in place monitoring mechanism, including market surveillance policy (inspection, testing and certification), for ensuring compliance of packaged liquid milk, including imported milk in accordance with the Pakistan Standards (traceable to Codex WHO guidelines) ISO/IEC 17065 and CA Rules, 2011 to ensure the health of people of Pakistan, he said.