Everything we eat is poison! Fecal-borne bacteria found in famous ice cream brand
Following the poisoning and death of the four-member Böcek family in Fatih, which raised concerns about food safety, it has been revealed that fecal-borne bacteria were found in the products of a famous ice cream brand. Inspection reports showed that the bacteria levels were 51 times above the limit. The company has responded to the allegations.
12punto
As suspicions of food poisoning continue to emerge across Turkey, new analyses and reports have drawn public attention, particularly following the death of the Böcek family.
The death of the four-member Böcek family, who had traveled from Germany to Turkey and fell ill at their hotel in Fatih, has sparked a serious debate about food safety in the country.
While the cause of the family's poisoning is still under investigation, new cases have been reported from different regions of Turkey.
Laboratory examinations have detected bacteria that threaten human health in several food products reaching many consumers.
It was reported that fecal-borne bacteria were found in tests conducted on products from the Kahramanmaraş-based Alpedo Dondurma.
It was noted that these bacteria pose a high risk to human health and that the levels detected in the measurements exceed food safety limits.
According to documents shared by İsmail Arı from BirGün, similar results were obtained in inspections conducted in previous years. It was learned that harmful bacteria were found during inspections by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2022, and the company was issued an administrative fine of 41,426 TL.
Food Engineer and Academic Dr. Bülent Şık examined the analysis reports and provided an assessment of the situation.
In his statement, Şık noted that 5,100 bacteria were detected in one gram of the product, while the limit permitted by the regulation is 100.
Şık stated that the detected bacteria point to:
a lack of hygiene,
fecal contamination,
a breakdown in the cold chain,
the use of contaminated water or equipment.
It was emphasized that this situation is an indicator of a serious compromise in food safety.
"NOT FIT FOR CONSUMPTION" WARNING
Dr. Şık stated that such a high bacterial load indicates that the food has spoiled and may harbor pathogens, and he expressed that the product should absolutely not be consumed. It was reported that children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems, in particular, could experience serious health problems due to such products.
According to experts, there may not always be visible signs of spoilage in products. However, the following symptoms may be noteworthy:
a sour or foreign taste,
a heavy or stale odor,
a sticky or gelatinous surface,
a sandy or gritty mouthfeel (an indicator of a broken cold chain).
It was stated that consumption should be stopped in such cases of suspicion.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE COMPANY
Alpedo Dondurma released a statement regarding the allegations that have come to light. The statement expressed that:
"The claim of deadly bacteria does not reflect the truth,"
"The allegations were not confirmed in the Ministry of Agriculture inspections."
