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5 clusters · 23 sources · 31 days · First seen · Last updated

Food fraud investigations in Turkey

Overview

The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has identified widespread food fraud and adulteration across various sectors. Initial investigations revealed 21 brands involved in fraudulent practices, particularly in the olive oil industry in regions like Hatay, Izmir, Aydın, and Balıkesir, where producers mixed cheap seed oils into products marketed as ‘natural extra virgin olive oil.’

Meat fraud remains a significant concern. In Mersin, Korkmaz Kasabı-Hadi Kaçan was found selling minced meat containing single-hoofed animals like horses or donkeys, while Erçolak Gıda Hayvancılık Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi was caught mixing offal into beef-lamb mince. In Bursa’s Osmangazi district, Acı Dayı Cantık Salonu was flagged for using single-ungulate meat in raw cantık dough marketed as beef. Other regions, including Ankara, Antalya, Konya, and Diyarbakır, reported the use of chicken, offal, or head meat in products such as pide, lahmacun, and kebabs.

In the spice and confectionery sectors, authorities detected unauthorized chemical dyes in sumac (notably the Değirmen Tarsus brand) and red pepper. As of late October 2026, laboratory inspections identified prohibited dyes in several sausage spice brands, with Metinler Gıda ve Baharat Sanayi producing the most non-compliant batches, including Tomurcuk Baharat and Babasan products. Other flagged producers include Salih Sucukları, Atılım Et, and Spice Baba Gıda.

Additional violations include adulterated honey in Burdur and Antalya, buffalo yogurt in Istanbul containing cow milk, and the use of vegetable oils or starch in dairy products. Some herbal pastes and detox teas were also found to contain medicinal ingredients like sildenafil and tadalafil.

Entities

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry · Ayvalık Doğal · Spice Baba Gıda · Fıstıksan Gıda Sanayi ve Dış Ticaret AŞ · Bandırma

Timeline

  1. [BUSINESS] 7 sources
    Turkey Ministry of Agriculture identifies banned dyes in 11 sausage spice brands

    Turkey's Ministry of Agriculture has flagged 11 brands of sausage spices for containing prohibited dyes, listing specific batches from producers in Balıkesir, Çorum, Istanbul, and Kahramanmaraş.

  2. [HEALTH] 8 sources
    Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry exposes widespread food adulteration

    The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has exposed widespread food fraud, including baklava containing sunflower seeds, sausages mixed with poultry meat, and olive oil adulterated with seed oils.

  3. [CRIME] 6 sources
    Turkey Ministry identifies widespread food fraud and meat adulteration

    The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry identified widespread food fraud, including the use of horse and donkey meat in Bursa's cantık, and adulterated dairy, honey, and olive oil products.

  4. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Mersin food businesses flagged for meat and spice adulteration

    The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry identified three food fraud cases in Mersin involving horse or donkey meat in mince, offal in beef-lamb mixes, and unauthorized dyes in sumac.

  5. [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Turkey Ministry of Agriculture exposes food fraud in olive oil and meat

    Turkey's Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has exposed 21 brands for food fraud, including mixing seed oils into olive oil and selling horse or donkey meat as beef.

Sources

bolutakip.com · bursahakimiyet.com.tr · cnbce.com · cumhuriyet.com.tr · demagog.cz · eskisehir.net · gazetedamga.com.tr · gazeteipekyol.com · gzt.com · karar.com · m.takvim.com.tr · marasbugun.com.tr · odatv.com · odatv4.com · onedio.com · ortadogugazetesi.com · rayhaber.com · sondakika.com · takagazete.com.tr · turkgun.com · yenicaggazetesi.com.tr · yenisafak.com · yorumla.net

This summary has been updated 4 times: see revision history