2 food production factories suspended in Kabul — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has suspended the operations of two factories and quarantined more than 2,800 packages of beverages and mineral water for failing to meet health standards in inspections of production facilities in the capital Kabul. In a statement, the ministry said experts from its Risk Analysis, Food Surveillance and Standards Development Department had inspected production facilities in the 5th and 14th districts of Kabul city. It said facilities producing beverages, soft drinks, mineral water, cakes and biscuits were inspected, with violations including poor hygiene, lack of operating licences and technical personnel, absence of standard production lines and warehouses, and substandard packaging identified. It added that inspectors provided the managers of the facilities in violation with necessary recommendations to address the issues and comply with health standards. The operations of a cake and biscuit factory and a soft drinks factory were suspended, while about 600 packages of flavoured beverages and 2,200 packages of mineral water were quarantined until a final decision due to substandard production, the statement concluded.