Türkiye updates food codex to tighten regulations on meat products

ANKARA

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry is preparing to amend the “Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Meat, Prepared Meat Mixtures and Meat Products” to ensure food safety, protect consumer interests and prevent unfair competition.

The regulation bans manufacturers from introducing external protein or nitrogen sources into specified products, excluding the meat’s natural protein and essential processing components such as milk, eggs or yogurt.

In order to maintain traditional flavor profiles, manufacturers will no longer be allowed to smoke these meat products or add non-traditional ingredients, including pistachios and cheese.

The regulation also mandates that “döner,” a meat dish cooked on a rotisserie, packaging explicitly state the product’s method of production.

According to the regulation, hamburger patties will be produced in accordance with the criteria for meatballs.

The new regulation will restrict the use of fillers, such as starch, soy and their derivatives, which are technically necessary for meat product composition. These provisions aim to prevent manufacturers from using such ingredients for unauthorized purposes, including artificially increasing product weight.

Calcium in poultry sucuk will increase by 50 grams per kilogram, and fat levels in poultry mixtures and döner will be reduced. Additionally, product definitions will change based on the meat used.

The regulation is expected to be published in the official gazette shortly.