July 26, 2010

Turkey releases food safety control results

Results of the food safety controls conducted last year by the Turkish Agriculture Ministry in line with EU food regulations indicate that the overall rate of negativity was 5%, lower than that of 2008.

The outcome of food-safety controls testing offered varied results for a range of Turkish food products.

The testing showed that 5.28% of the analysed comestibles yielded "negative" results, and 4.42% turned out to contain pesticide residue. The results have nevertheless been viewed positively as the negative rate was below that seen in 2008.

Of the 22,172 comestible samples analysed by the ministry, 1,171 of them proved incompatible with the regulations.

The ministry conducted two different categories of analysis: "contents" analysis and "packaging" analysis. Food producers passed the test in terms of packaging with almost 98% concordance with the norm; the worst results were detected in molasses, poultry, fig jam, honey and red pepper used for spices.

Some 34% of molasses samples, 18% of poultry meat samples, nearly 18% of fig jam samples and 17% of honey samples proved to be negative.

Dairy products, red meat and grain food items had fewer negative samples than the average, and a majority of bread samples were compatible with microbiological criteria. Only 2% of the bread samples yielded negative results, and dairy products showed negative results for only 5%.

Red meat samples were analysed in terms of unlawful additions and equine meat, and less than 1% was recorded as negative. However, in terms of poultry meat in addition to red meat, the samples proved negative at 3%.