Agriculture Ministry list reveals poultry meat in sausage, food dye in baklava

Food inspections conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry detected counterfeiting or adulteration in a total of 29 products across meat products, confectionery, dairy products, honey, and spices categories.

Findings in meat products are striking: Kule Sucukları, produced in Istanbul's Bağcılar district, was found to contain poultry meat and offal (head meat) in its beef sausage. Yunuseli Sucukları - Fatih Bayramça's product branded as Güllüoğlu Kasabı Sucukları from Bursa's Osmangazi contained poultry meat, while Zümrüt Et ve Et Ürünleri's sausage branded BSZ from Ankara's Polatlı was found to contain offal (tongue).

In the confectionery category, Dilber Dudağı baklava produced by Fıstıksan Gıda in Istanbul's Bağcılar was found to contain sunflower seeds and food dye. Arzu Pastanesi - Ergün Kutluk's pistachio baklava from Siirt's Kurtalan also contained food dye.

The ministry had encountered cases of poultry meat being mixed into meat products in its list released last year; the fact that the same category again comprises the longest list this year indicates that inspectors' focus has not shifted. It remains unclear whether the products have been recalled from the market.