Ministry decision on 'kaşarlı' pita

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has expanded the scope of the "Processed Cheese Communiqué" that came into effect last year, taking a new step to prevent the misleading of consumers. With the amendment made to the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Labeling and Consumer Information, many products sold on market and restaurant shelves as "kaşarlı" (containing kaşar cheese) but which do not actually contain kaşar cheese will no longer be allowed to be sold under this name.

THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WRITE "KAŞARLI"

With the new guide, the naming of sandwiches and pitas that use processed cheese instead of kaşar cheese is being changed. For example, a sandwich containing processed cheese instead of real kaşar can no longer be called a "Kaşarlı Sandwich," but only a "Processed Cheese Sandwich." Similarly, the name "Kaşarlı Pita" will only be valid if real kaşar cheese is used. Otherwise, the product's name will be "Processed Cheese Pita."

BAN ON MISLEADING EXPRESSIONS IN BAKLAVA AS WELL

The regulation is not limited to cheese products. The Ministry, which wants to prevent misleading expressions on food labels, is also implementing a similar practice for desserts. Desserts produced using peanuts but sold as "pistachio baklava" have also been caught by the new regulation. From now on, such products can only be sold with the expression "peanut baklava."

CONSUMERS WILL NOW HAVE ACCESS TO MORE TRANSPARENT INFORMATION

According to information in the Food Bulletin, the purpose of the regulation is to ensure that consumers are correctly informed and to prevent marketing tactics that do not match the content. Thus, by stating more clearly what is in the content, the consumer will be able to shop without being misled.

INSPECTIONS WILL INCREASE

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is expected to tighten its inspections in this direction. Markets, restaurants, and bakeries will now have to label the products they sell in accordance with the ingredients used. Otherwise, penal sanctions may be applied.

WHAT IS PROCESSED CHEESE?

According to the Turkish Food Codex Cheese Communiqué, processed cheese is made as follows: it is a cheese obtained by adding emulsifying salts to a mixture obtained by adding dairy products such as milk powder, whey powder, butter, or cream to one or more types of cheese, when necessary. Trisodium Phosphate (E339), Sodium Polyphosphate (E452i), and Trisodium Citrate (E331) are generally used as emulsifying salts.

On the other hand, the updating of the current Turkish Food Codex Cheese Communiqué is also on the agenda. According to the new cheese draft opened for public opinion last July, "It will be prohibited to produce and market processed cheese in a way that evokes our traditional and regional cheeses such as tulum, örgü, çeçil, dil, tel, abaza, and kaşar cheese, and misleads the consumer. In the main field of vision of the processed cheese label, the font size of the food name, which is currently at least 1.2 mm, will be increased to at least 3 mm."

(1)"Evaluation of the genotoxicity of citric acid, ascorbic acid, and sodium citrate used as food additives in human lymphocyte cells"

News Source: 12punto