Food Engineers warn of public health risks from illegal meat smuggling

Beste Oymen, President of the Chamber of Food Engineers, has raised alarms regarding the illegal importation of a large quantity of lamb carcasses, stating that the incident is a serious food safety issue rather than just a smuggling case.

Oymen expressed concern over the 233 lamb carcasses involved, questioning how many were seized and how many reached consumers. The discovery of meat bearing seals that do not belong to the Veterinary Department at various warehouses and sales points has heightened fears.

According to Oymen, meat brought into the country outside the legal inspection chain lacks traceability regarding the animal's health, slaughter conditions, and hygiene. Furthermore, there is no way to verify if the cold chain was maintained during transport and storage, posing significant microbiological risks. She called for transparent communication from authorities regarding the origin of the meat and the distribution chain.