Türkiye Publishes Updating Draft Food Supplements Regulation

On 3 November 2023, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry published a draft amendment of the Food Supplement Regulation (draft regulation). The ministry will accept public comments on the draft until 30 November 2023.

3E Review

The draft regulation aims to determine the product criteria for supplementary foods and the procedures and principles regarding the production, preparation, processing, storage, approval, import, transport, advertising, promotion, and market launch of these foods in accordance with the technical and hygiene standards of the products within scope of the regulation.

It combines two pieces of legislation that regulate food supplements in Turkey: Regulation on Import, Production, Processing, and Market Supply of Supplementary Foods of 2 May 2013, Official Gazette No. 28635, and Turkish Food Codex Food Supplements Communique of 16 August 2013, Official Gazette No. 28737. Consequently, with the finalization of the draft regulation and publication in the Official Gazette, both the regulation and the communique will be revoked and replaced.

The draft regulation includes the following sections:

• Registration and approval procedures for business operators that import, produce, process, and launch food supplements on the market
• Import, production, processing, advertising, promotion, and market launch of food supplements
• Traceability of food supplements
• Work procedures of the Food Supplement Commission

It is worth mentioning that the draft regulation does not cover food supplements produced for export and consists of the following five annexes:

• Annex-1: Consisting of the following two parts:
  • Part A: Active Substances Allowed for Use and Conditions of Use
  • Part B: Active Substances That Are Not Allowed for Use as Food Supplements
• Annex-2: Information and Documents Required for the Approval Application of Supplementary Foods
• Annex-3: Food Supplement Approval Application Form
• Annex-4: Definition of “X Height”
• Annex-5: Sample Letter of Undertaking

3E Analysis

The draft regulation is available on the ministry’s website and open for public comments. Business operators and interested parties can share their comments until 30 November 2023 to the General Directorate of Food and Control under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry at pelin.aykurt@tarimorman.gov.tr or figen.keser@tarimorman.gov.tr through the form made available on the ministry’s website.