Ministry Detects Adulteration in 40 Dairy Products

October 1, 2026 · Memurlar.net

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry identified non-compliant ingredients and substandard practices in 40 dairy products from 32 firms in its adulteration list dated September 30, 2026.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has shared the latest results of its official inspections and laboratory analyses, conducted nationwide to ensure food safety and prevent unfair commercial practices. Within the scope of the Ministry's adulteration announcement dated September 30, 2026, a total of 40 dairy products from 32 different food businesses were officially listed. The official data, made accessible to the public via the 'Reliable Food' portal, clearly revealed significant content deficiencies and the use of substandard additives in dairy products offered to the market. It was stated that all of the deficient products included in the list, based on laboratory controls, belonged to the milk and dairy products group.

The official report published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry detailed that essential nutrients were illegally omitted. Official analyses confirmed that in 26 of the 40 non-compliance records examined, the fat content of the products fell below the legal regulatory limits. Furthermore, substandard melting salts were detected in 16 products, while 5 different products exhibited both low milk fat and melting salt deficiencies simultaneously. Laboratory tests also recorded that the protein content in 3 different brands of ayran products offered for consumption did not meet the minimum legal levels stipulated by regulations.

These food inspections are carried out under the provisions of the sixth paragraph of Article 31 of Law No. 5996 on Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food, and Feed. In accordance with the relevant regulations and legal articles, the brand, batch, and producer information of foods confirmed to be fraudulent or non-compliant with standards through laboratory analyses are transparently announced to the public. Ministry officials continue to update the imitation and adulteration lists at periodic intervals to ensure consumers are correctly informed and to prevent unfair competition. This legal practice aims to improve food quality in the market and protect consumer rights.

The largest group of non-compliance in the Ministry's list dated September 30, 2026, was observed in kashar cheese, with 18 records. Melting salt was found in fresh and full-fat kashar cheeses that should be produced in accordance with traditional production standards. According to food regulations, melting salt can only be used in processed melting cheeses, and its use in traditional kashar cheeses is strictly prohibited. The presence of this additive indicates that the product, although presented to the consumer as kashar cheese, was manufactured using different and non-standard industrial methods.

Businesses such as Sütman Süt, Rodos Süt, Tasfiye Halinde Aybey Süt, and Ökkaş Solak were included in the Ministry's list. In addition, non-compliance with regulations was determined in kashar cheeses marketed by Günaydın Süt, Servet Süt, Erol Tarım, İflas Halinde Takış Gıda, Doğa Tarım, Güzelce Süt, Aksaray Üçler Süt, Koççelik Süt, and Gapsüt firms. Official laboratory reports documented that these inspected products predominantly had milk fat content below standards or used melting salt in violation of legal regulations.

Following kashar cheese, the butter category recorded the highest number of deficient products with 8 cases. Butter from Elmalı Yeşilyayla Tereyağları, Esentepe Süt, Bad-ı Sabah Süt, Bilen Süt, Karakurtlar Süt, Sütmar Süt, Samran Gıda, and Karadaş Tulum Peyniri businesses was found to be adulterated. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry officially announced to the public that the milk fat content in the churned, unsalted, and breakfast butters marketed by these businesses fell below the Turkish Food Codex standards.

According to official inspection results, non-compliance with regulations was also detected in 5 white cheese and 4 ayran products. Full-fat and low-fat white cheeses from Günaydın Süt, Şahsan Süt, Dertaş Tarım, and Eray Süt businesses had low milk fat content. In the ayran group, low protein levels were detected in products from Boltat Süt and Şentaşlar Gıda, while the milk fat content in Varol Market's low-fat ayran was recorded as below regulatory limits in official inspection records.

The remaining 5 records on the list consisted of braided cheese, melting cheese, flavored cheese, breakfast cream, and regional cheeses. Kaplan Gıda's braided cheese and Faruk Ayvaz Süt Mamülleri's pizza melting cheese had insufficient milk fat content. Additionally, Alibabanın Çiftliği's breakfast cream, Turgut Reis Süt Mamülleri's flavored melting cheese, and Abdurrahman Şahap's regional cheese were found to have fat content below regulatory limits and were added to the official list.

It was noteworthy that companies such as the liquidating Aybey Süt and the bankrupt Takış Gıda appeared multiple times on the adulteration list. With the new additions dated September 30, 2026, the total number of records in the 'content deficiency' category in the Reliable Food system rose to 133. Consumers can access the latest data through the 'Reliable Food' portal as well as the public announcement service available on the e-Devlet (e-Government) gateway. The Ministry emphasizes that it will continue its field inspections without interruption against imitation and adulteration cases that threaten food safety.

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