WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FRAUD AND ADULTERATION.

Unfortunately, in recent years, we are facing a rapidly increasing problem of fraud in the food sector, as in every other sector in our country. There is a group of producers and sellers who are after unfair profits by adulterating and deceiving people, at the expense of their health. The way to prevent this is to increase inspections and strengthen penalties. However, there is another very important element: the consumer must be aware and vigilant.

First, to make the information we are providing clearer and to reinforce it, we would like to define two concepts that we often hear but whose meanings are not yet fully understood.

Deception ; a trick, scheme, or plot used to deceive or mislead someone. Adding something worthless to something valuable for personal gain.

Adulteration is the act of altering something's purity and structure by mixing another substance into it.

Natural olive oil is one of the food products most susceptible to fraud and adulteration. Because it is plant-based, the sources used in counterfeiting are also plant-based. Riviera, pomace, hazelnut, canola, cottonseed, and sunflower oils are some of the materials frequently used in fraud and adulteration in this area.

So, as consumers, how can we identify olive oils that have been fraudulently produced? The only answer is chemical and sensory analysis. However, since you can't have every olive oil you buy for your home analyzed in a laboratory, you can avoid being scammed by paying attention to the following points.

*Always choose branded and labeled products.

*If necessary, request official analysis reports from the manufacturer. You can access our analysis reports by clicking on this link: https://www.yagderesi.com/2017-2018-uretim-yili-analiz-raporlarimiz-organik-zeytinyagi-odullu-yagderesi-naturel-sizma-kaliteli

*Test your olive oil sensorially. A quality olive oil should have three positive qualities: fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency. Fruitiness refers to the taste, smell, and aroma of the olive as soon as it is picked from the tree. Bitterness should not be an intense chili pepper spiciness, but rather like the bitterness of unripe almonds or green almonds. Pungency should last until the point of swallowing, but not continue down the esophagus.

*Contrary to popular belief, the freezing of olive oil is NOT an indicator of quality.

*Similarly, the color of olive oil is NOT an indicator of quality.

*DON'T BUY OLIVE OIL JUST BECAUSE IT'S CHEAP! Olive farming is very costly and requires a lot of labor. No one will sell a product they've invested so much effort and money in for a cheap price. Especially an olive oil produced using organic farming practices, like Yağderesi NO 09, will be much more expensive. If someone tells you they can give you high-quality olive oil at a cheap price, know that you are being scammed!

Finally, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock announced the businesses that committed fraud, imitation, and adulteration in food products, including olive oil companies. You can access the company and product information by clicking on this link on the Ministry's website: https://www.tarim.gov.tr/Lists/Duyuru/Attachments/606/Ifsa.pdf

Wishing to see you again in brighter days…

Burcu Coban Coşkun

YAGDERESI ORGANIC OLIVE OIL