A new regulation has been implemented regarding the content and labeling of butter varieties. Misleading statements and images are no longer allowed on packages. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s “Turkish Food Codex Butter and Clarified Butter Communiqué” has been published in the Official Gazette and is now in effect. Along with the communiqué, changes have been made to the packaging of butter and clarified butter. The necessary product specifications for the production, preservation, packaging, storage, transportation, and marketing of butter and clarified butter in a technically appropriate and hygienic manner have been determined. Accordingly, the milk and yogurt used in flavored butter, clarified butter, butterfat, butter, and churned butter products must comply with the relevant regulations. These products must have a unique taste, smell, appearance, and texture, and must test negative for the “peroxidase test”. In order to achieve the typical taste and aroma in the production of these products, a “starter culture” may be used.

USAGE OF 2% SALT
Butter will contain a maximum of 2% salt by weight. The dry matter amount from salt will be evaluated separately from the amount of fat-free dry matter. Unsalted butter must contain at least 82% butter by weight, a maximum of 2% fat-free dry matter, and a maximum of 16% water. Salted or flavored butter, on the other hand, can contain at least 80% butter by weight, a maximum of 2% fat-free dry matter, and a maximum of 16% water.

BANNING FLAVORING AGENTS
Flavored butter cannot contain flavoring agents that may cause counterfeit or adulteration. Butter without added flavoring and clarified butter without flavoring agents cannot be altered with flavor enhancers. Milk and milk product flavor enhancers like buffalo milk and yogurt aromas cannot be added to butter varieties covered by the communiqué.

NO ANIMAL VISUAL ON LABELS
The label of these products must prominently display the name of the food. For unsalted butter, the label must state “no salt added”, while salted butter must specify the salt content by weight in the ingredients section, along with indicating “salted” or “salt added” in the main view of the label. The flavoring agent and quantity used in flavored butter must also be included with the food name in the main view of the label. If a single animal species’ milk or cream is used in the production of the products covered by the communiqué, the animal species must be mentioned on the label. In cases of using blends of milk or creams from different animal species, the names of the species from which the milk was obtained must be listed next to the food name, such as “produced from cow, sheep, goat, and buffalo milks/creams”. However, the labels of these products cannot feature visuals of animals like cows, sheep, goats, or buffalos. Misleading statements and images that may mislead consumers cannot be used.

CONSUMER SAFEGUARDING
According to information obtained from the Ministry, the communiqué has been updated to establish additional labeling rules for butter in order to protect consumers, prevent unfair competition, and counterfeiting and adulteration. The previous regulations regarding “half-fat butter”, “three-quarters fat butter”, and “percent …” milk fat-based spreadable products have been removed from the communiqué due to butter being a significant traditional product in the country, widely consumed in daily diets, and in order to prevent products with misleading fat content from deceiving consumers and to avoid counterfeit and adulterated products. Additionally, the names and dates of other regulations referenced in the communiqué have been updated, making it mandatory to include the product name in the main view of the label, and prohibiting the use of misleading statements and images that create a “this is butter or clarified butter” perception on the labels, advertisements, promotions, and presentations of oils other than butter and clarified butter.