A recent national assessment has raised concerns over the quality of Ghee, Oil and Milk products available in Pakistan.
The assessment covered 491 samples tested by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR). Of these samples, 315 met the required standards.
However, 176 samples were found to be non-compliant with national quality requirements. The findings were presented at a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC).
Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal chaired the meeting. Officials discussed the results and concerns linked to food quality and public health.
Vanaspati ghee recorded one of the highest failure rates in the assessment. Out of 204 samples, 98 failed to meet national standards.
This represented 48 percent of the tested vanaspati ghee samples. The results raised concerns about the quality of widely consumed food products.
Blended cooking oil also showed notable quality issues. Officials found 40 non-compliant samples among 146 tested samples.
This means around 27 percent of the blended cooking oil samples failed the required standards. Packaged liquid milk also recorded quality concerns.
Of 104 packaged liquid milk samples, 26 were declared non-compliant. This represented 25 percent of the samples tested.
The assessment also included milk powder and refined edible oils. Eight of 18 milk powder samples failed to meet the required standards.
Three of four refined palm oil samples were also declared non-compliant. One of 13 refined canola oil samples failed the quality assessment.
The consolidated findings were prepared by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA). PCSIR conducted the laboratory assessment under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The report highlighted additional concerns about some milk products. One tested sample had only 0.8 percent milk fat.
The required minimum level for milk fat is 3.5 percent. This significant difference highlighted concerns over product quality.
Samples from leading multinational packaged milk companies met the required standards. However, some lesser-known local brands showed quality deficiencies.
The findings have increased concerns about low-quality food products in local markets. They have also raised questions about the effectiveness of existing regulatory systems.
Ahsan Iqbal expressed concern over rising cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable illnesses. He particularly highlighted these health concerns among younger Pakistanis.
The minister directed authorities to conduct a nationwide survey of loose food products. The survey will cover loose Ghee, Oil and Milk sold across the country.
Authorities will examine product quality and identify regional differences. They will also investigate possible causes behind reported quality deficiencies.
The survey will assess whether substandard products could pose risks to public health. The government considers food safety a matter of national importance.
Iqbal said ensuring access to safe and healthy food is a government responsibility. He also formed a specialized technical subcommittee to review the findings.
The committee includes experts from the Ministry of Planning, PCSIR, and PSQCA. It will examine laboratory results and prepare evidence-based recommendations.
The next testing phase will focus on loose Ghee, Oil and Milk products. These items were not included in the current packaged product assessment.
In other related news also read Ghee and Cooking Oil Prices Soar Across Pakistan
The government aims to use the findings for stronger regulatory and policy measures. The initiative could also help identify recurring food quality problems across different regions.
