Food and Veterinary Agency uncovers widespread food fraud and warns of swine fever threat

An extraordinary inspection by the Agency of Food and Veterinary (AUV) in Macedonia examined 91 samples of dairy and meat products from supermarkets. The test results showed that nearly one‑third of the items were non‑compliant, including cheese made with palm oil instead of milk fat and meat packed with additives and water. The agency imposed fines totaling about €25,000 for inaccurate labeling and highlighted systemic weaknesses in monitoring, tendering and laboratory selection.

At the same time, the AUV issued an advisory to pig farmers across the region, urging stricter biosafety measures to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF). Although ASF has not been confirmed in Kosovo, outbreaks in neighboring countries keep the risk high. The agency recommended limiting access to farms, regular disinfection of equipment and vehicles, avoiding contact with wild boars, and sourcing livestock only from registered, veterinary‑certified farms. ASF does not affect humans but can cause severe economic losses for the pork sector.