Turkey Ministry identifies widespread food fraud and meat adulteration

The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has released a list of food products found to be fraudulent or containing substances that endanger human health. The report reveals widespread adulteration across various sectors, including dairy, honey, olive oil, and meat products.

In the meat sector, several establishments in Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, and Diyarbakır were found to be using chicken, offal, or head meat in products marketed as beef or lamb, such as pide, lahmacun, and kebabs. In Bursa, specifically at the Acı Dayı Cantık Salonu in the Osmangazi district, laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of single-ungulate meat (horse or donkey) in raw cantık dough marketed as beef.

Other findings include the use of vegetable oils in cheese and butter, starch in yogurts and processed cheeses, and the sale of seed oils as extra virgin olive oil in Aydın. Additionally, buffalo yogurt in Istanbul was found to contain cow milk, and certain honey products in Antalya were found to be adulterated with syrup and additives.