New era for food labels! Those phrases will no longer be used

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has begun reviewing food labels that mislead or confuse consumers. Steps are being taken to introduce standards for labels in markets. Products will no longer be sold with phrases such as "... flavored," "... taste," or "... pleasure." Misleading labels will not be used.

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated that new regulations will be introduced for food labels to ensure the highest level of consumer protection. Emphasizing that many regulations have been made and will continue to be made in the Food Codex for healthy and reliable food, Yumaklı said, "The name of the food will now be written in the same font size, style, and character in the place where the consumer will see it at first glance on the shelf. We will not allow the use of misleading visuals on food labels."

According to the report by Cevdet Fırat Aydoğmuş from Türkiye Gazetesi, Yumaklı stated the following regarding the new regulation:

"We will not allow the use of a strawberry image on a product that contains only strawberry flavoring instead of actual strawberries. For example, on milk containing banana flavoring, it will be written 'banana-flavored milk' instead of 'banana milk.' We will not allow phrases such as '... flavored,' '... taste,' or '... pleasure' on foods that are similar and can be confused with each other by consumers. We will not allow phrases like 'butter pleasure' or 'butter taste' on vegetable margarine. Products that are vegetable oil-based milk ice, which do not qualify as ice cream, cannot be sold with phrases that evoke ice cream, such as 'ice cream pleasure' or 'ice cream taste'."

Stating that one of the most important duties of the Ministry is to ensure that citizens have access to reliable food from farm to table, Yumaklı said, "We established our ALO 174 Food Hotline. Notifications and complaints are responded to within 15 days at the latest. It is of great importance for public health that our people report food products and places they suspect to ALO 174 or our WhatsApp Notification Line at (0 501 174 0 174)."

Emphasizing that inspections are carried out continuously in production, mass consumption, and sales venues with more than 7,500 food inspectors, Yumaklı said, "Our food inspectors on duty in 81 provinces show no mercy to those who play with the health of our people. We will not give any leeway to fraudsters."

News Source: 12punto