Turkey to focus on food safety issues more closely under new regulations
Turkey will monitor food safety issues more intensely after new regulations were announced by Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Minister Mehdi Eker on Thursday at a press conference in Istanbul. Saying that the ministry’s motivation for adopting new regulations is to bring to Turkey up to European standards in terms of food and animal safety, Eker announced that the ministry had drafted 102 regulations, 95 of which have been published and a further seven that are still to be released.
Giving general information about the new regulations, Eker said that the ministry will establish an effective monitoring mechanism for the agriculture industry and has also established the General Directorate of Food and Control in order to carry out inspections relating to public health, hygiene and food safety.
Eker said: “With the new body, the ministry will intensively monitor agricultural and animal products all the way from the farm to the dinner table. The ministry will know which product comes from which farm thanks to a new monitoring system.” As an example, Eker said that the ministry would be able to find out which farm and province an egg came from by checking ministry records, which would keep track of all animal and agricultural products. Eker went on to say that previously only people who produced agricultural products for commercial purposes were required to possess a food production license.
Under the new guidelines, businesses and individuals that market and sell these products will also be required to hold a license. “If a person who wants to sell animal products applies to the ministry for a license, the ministry will examine the facilities in which the animal products will be preserved or sold according to hygiene and food safety standards. If the premises meet the requirements, the ministry will approve the application. Both producers and business owners will share responsibility if there is a possible problem with the product, as those handling animal products as part of their business will be required to check products before buying them from producers,” Eker added.
13.01.2011
SOURCE: DUNYA.COM
