Ministry reveals brands! List of companies producing fraudulent chocolate, bonbon candy, and beverages

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry began sharing the list of companies engaged in imitation and adulteration with the public starting October 2.

The Ministry has updated the list in question. New details continue to emerge every day regarding how food fraudsters are threatening public health.

In the latest published list, it was determined that 17 different products, ranging from chocolate to fruit juice and honey to bonbon candy, contained the active ingredients 'Sildenafil' and 'Tadalafil,' which are used in the treatment of impotence and sexual dysfunction and are prohibited for sale in such products.

These substances can only be obtained with a prescription under doctor supervision for the treatment of impotence and sexual dysfunction, and a medical report is required beforehand.

IT CAN EVEN CAUSE DEATH!

The active ingredient 'Sildenafil' causes ailments such as headaches, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, increased shortness of breath, blurred vision, heartburn, excessive facial flushing, runny nose, nosebleeds, and sensitivity to light. In cases of high dosage, it can even lead to strokes and death.

It was stated that the dangerous drug active ingredients 'sildenafil' and 'tadalafil' were found in herbal-mixed chocolate, ginseng bonbon candy and chocolate, energy drinks with herbal juice additives, some 150 and 250 ml energy drinks, and epimedium ginseng hazelnut cezerye on the list.

In addition to flavored, coffee-flavored, and cherry-flavored carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, as well as ginseng-mixed vitamin-fortified fruit-flavored and herbal-mixed carbonated and non-carbonated beverages, the drug active ingredient was also detected in black tea, mixed herbal tea, coffee, herbal-mixed coffee, and mixed herbal powders.

It was noted that the drug active ingredient was even found in honey in 15g sachet form at a business in Küçükçekmece, and was also present in products such as effervescent tablets, sultan paste, mesir paste, herbal-mixed paste, honey-based herbal paste, and epimedium herbal paste.

It was stated that most of these products were produced by firms in major cities such as Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya, Mersin, Bursa, Ankara, and Kocaeli.

Experts warn consumers that if they experience a headache after eating or drinking anything, the product may contain such drug active ingredients and they should definitely not consume it.

Here is the ministry's list of toxic products…