TESK Chairman Bendevi Palandöken said, “During the recent inspections, statements made by incompetent people regarding foodstuffs cause citizens to panic. But as it is known, branded products such as olive oil, sunflower oil and butter or the companies that manufacture them are both analyzed and examined in the laboratories of the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Commerce is sensitive about this issue. “However, since such incidents are more common in pirated products, there is a sensitivity among the public against unnecessary explanations,” he said.
“THE TRADEMAN DOES NOT FEED SOMEONE ELSE WHAT HE DOESN’T EAT HIMSELF”
Pointing out that the statements made by non-experts mislead the public, Bendevi Palandöken, Chairman of the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK), said: “Meat and dairy products, oils, etc. Foods consumed by everyone. People are concerned about fake labels that do not match expiration dates when deciding what to eat. Citizens think that the products they have on hand are not the same as the products sold on the shelves, and this has caused sales to drop by almost half. However, a tradesman cannot offer to someone else what he does not eat. Citizens exercise self-control. At dusk, I bring products such as baklava, bread, organic etc. One should not trust those who market and sell as such. But it is not possible for such a thing to happen in stores that have brands and that you go in and out of every day. Of course, even if they are encountered once in a million during these inspections, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Commerce and local governments intervene in this incident and punish them. It is most natural for these workplaces to be inspected by qualified experts in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture. “However, there is such a mixture of fake oils in olive oil or fake products in butter, but branded products are always inspected from the point of origin to the final consumer,” he said.
“RESULTS OF INSPECTIONS SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER”
Stating that inspections should be carried out regularly and periodically by experts, Palandöken said, “It is pleasing that the public is sensitive about this issue. However, it can be tempting to buy these smuggled products from pirate sellers or with statements such as “we brought it from the locality or village”, “we brought honey, molasses, cheese”, etc., because the consumption of these products is fast and the prices are attractive. That’s why citizens can turn to this. For this reason, these problems will be solved through strict inspections both on the shelves and, as I said, in the production of such products, and studies should be carried out to close down those brands by increasing the penalties for those who do this. Citizens are hesitating, wondering if they should buy such an adulterated commodity, but it is not possible to find them in all products. It makes people panic or prevents them from thinking about it when they eat it, so the results of the research should be announced as soon as possible by the authorities, including the Ministries, experts and university professors. “Adulterated products must be destroyed,” he said.
