The Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Contaminants (“Regulation“) is introduced in the Official Gazette dated 5 November 2023 and numbered 32360.
The Regulation which has been prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (“Ministry”) in compliance with the EU legislation and sets the maximum limits of certain contaminants in foods and responsibilities on food operators to identify, prevent, reduce or eliminate the source of risk for these contaminants.
Since the Regulation entered into force, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Contaminants dated 29 December 2011 was repealed.
Accordingly, foods containing contaminants which exceed the limits set in the Regulation will not be placed on the market or used as raw materials or ingredients.
The Regulation includes the following provisions:
- Foods exceeding the maximum contaminant limits will not be mixed with foods that comply with the limits.
- For dried, diluted, processed or foods containing more than one component for which the maximum limit is not determined, the changes in the concentration of contaminants resulting from various processes, the proportions of the components in the product and the analytical measurement limit will be taken into account.
- Foods containing listed contaminants will not be deliberately detoxified by chemical processes.
- Foods subjected to physical processing must comply with the maximum limits set; if these products are not supplied to the end consumer or used as a food ingredient, labelling indicating the intended use will be mandatory and the consignment/batch identification code will be included on the label of each package.
- Foods containing hazardous residues that comply with the maximum limits set after physical processing will not be supplied to the end consumer.
- Hazelnuts, peanuts and other oilseeds will be labelled with an indication of their intended use. In cases where the intended use is not specified, the products will be subject to maximum limits.
- The exception for the application of maximum limits for products to be used in the production of refined vegetable oil will only be applicable in the presence of labels indicating the intended use.
Foods placed on the market before 31 December 2023 by food producers operating before the publication date of the Regulation will be available on the market until 31 December 2024.
Please see this link for the full text of the Regulation published in the Official Gazette dated 5 November 2023 and numbered 32360 (only available in Turkish).
