The "Turkish Food Codex Cheese Communiqué" prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry was published in the Official Gazette and entered into force, while the 2015 communiqué was abolished.
With the new regulation, the rules regarding the production, processing, preservation, transportation and marketing of cheese have been redefined. Within the scope of the communiqué, it is prohibited to use proteins other than milk protein, starch and starch-based products, gelatin, soy products and animal and vegetable oils other than milk fat in cheese production. Only in flavored fresh cheeses, starch can be used as a stabilizer in the amount allowed by technology.
Cheeses produced from raw milk or milk that has been subjected to thermization (a mild heat treatment applied to extend the shelf life of raw milk before processing or pasteurization and to reduce the number of microorganisms (bacteria) in it) will not be allowed to be placed on the market without ripening the curd for at least 4 months. For cheeses that will be sold without ripening, raw milk will need to be heat treated at least to pasteurization norms.
3 millimeter requirement was introduced for labels
With the regulation, the rules regarding cheese labels have also changed. The oiliness class and ripening status of the products will be stated on the labels along with the product name. The production date of the cheeses that are ripened and put on the market will be included in the form of day, month and year. In addition, the ripening period will have to be stated on the label.
Qualifications such as "village cheese", "traditional cheese", "natural cheese" and "farmhouse cheese" cannot be used on labels. In cheeses produced by mixing milk obtained from different animal species, the types of milk used will be listed in order from most to least according to their quantities.
The total seasoning ratio cannot exceed 6 percent in seasoned cheeses and 15 percent in flavored fresh cheeses. The amount of added sugar will also be included on the label of flavored fresh cheeses that use sugar.
The phrase "old" can be used for kashar cheeses produced by ripening for at least 120 days. On the labels of unboiled curd cheeses produced from raw milk that does not have a heat treatment equivalent to pasteurization or from milk subjected to thermization, the phrase "produced from raw milk" will appear on the labels in the same percentage as the product name and in a font size of at least 3 millimeters.
Phrases such as "spreadable", "ultrafiltration", "triangle", "can be used in making toast and pizza" can be used on the labels of the products within the scope of the Communiqué, depending on the form in which the cheese is marketed, its production technique, its shape and its intended use, provided that it is not used alone as the product name, does not create the perception of the product name and is not written in a font larger than the font size in which the product name is written.
Businesses were given until April 30, 2027 to comply
It has become mandatory to keep cheeses at temperatures below 10 degrees during storage, transportation and marketing. It is also prohibited to place melted cheese on the market in bulk and to offer curd directly to the consumer.
Existing food business operators were given until April 30, 2027 to comply with the new provisions.
Cheeses placed on the market before this date can remain on sale until the end of their shelf life. However, sliceable processed cheeses that do not comply with the new regulation will not be available on the market after April 30, 2027.
