Deadly bacteria detected: Only a symbolic fine for the giant firm!
The deadly Listeria monocytogenes bacterium was detected in the "mother's meatballs" product of Turkey's largest poultry producer. While the company was fined only 210 thousand TL, there was an outpouring of public reaction against the lack of deterrent penalties.
12punto
Serious health problems have recently come to the fore regarding packaged chicken products sold both in stores and on market shelves.
In particular, small businesses selling doner kebabs often place raw chicken on top of cooked products, which leads to the formation of salmonella bacteria.
The vast majority of complaints on consumer complaint websites concern products from leading companies in the poultry industry. Moreover, the problem is not limited to chicken; there are also serious complaints about foul odors, color changes, and spoilage in deli products that fall into the processed food category.
According to a report by Kaan Zenginli from Türkiye Gazetesi, the "Listeria monocytogenes" bacterium was recently detected in a frozen meatball product produced by a company that is the market leader in the sector.
According to experts, this bacterium is much more dangerous than salmonella and poses a direct threat to human health.
The bacterium develops especially in environments where hygiene conditions are inadequate and in chicken products that remain raw.
Despite all these risks, the fine imposed on the company by the authorized institutions was limited to only 210,000 TL.
However, this company's annual turnover is at the level of 19 billion TL. This means that the fine imposed is one hundred-thousandth of the company's turnover.
Consumer associations and social media users are expressing their reactions, stating that the penalties are far from being a deterrent.
FACILITIES MUST BE INSPECTED THOROUGHLY
Food engineers point to the root of the problem: Many large producers have very old production facilities, machines have not been renewed, and necessary hygiene measures have not been taken. Experts, who say "Human life should not be this cheap," draw attention to practices in Europe. In Europe, in similar situations, companies are fined up to 10 percent of their turnover, products are recalled, and company executives can face prison sentences ranging from 1 to 5 years.
DEADLY BACTERIA FOUND
Food engineer Irmak Özden stated that this situation is not only production-related but that inspection mechanisms also remain weak, saying, "The detection of bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes in food products clearly shows that hygiene in the production environment is insufficient. However, the fact that this situation goes unnoticed also reveals the inadequacy of inspections. Especially in large production facilities, the machinery is quite old. This paves the way for bacteria to multiply easily." Özden expressed that sanctions limited only to monetary fines do not create pressure on companies.
PRODUCT CONTENTS ARE PROBLEMATIC
Özden also added, "In packaged nuggets, meatballs, and similar products, not only the muscle part of the meat is used. To reduce costs, offal, chicken skin, and even ground bone and tissue residues, which we call mechanically separated meat, can be added to these products. These additives and low-quality ingredients do not provide sufficient protein and mineral sources, especially for children in their developmental age. Furthermore, if hygiene conditions are not observed during production, such products become susceptible to bacterial contamination."
Emphasizing the importance of the habit of reading labels, Özden said that consumers should pay attention to the ingredient list on the packaging and be vigilant against phrases such as "mechanically separated meat."