Türkiye Introduces New Food Flavouring Rules in 2026: Compliance Guide

Turkey Food Flavouring Regulation 2026 at a Glance

The main Regulation published in Official Gazette No. 33370 should be read together with its Annexes (official PDF), particularly when checking authorised flavourings, FL numbers and category-specific conditions.

Who Does the New Turkish Food Flavouring Regulation Apply To?

The Regulation covers flavourings used or intended to be used in food, food ingredients with flavouring properties, foods containing flavourings, source materials used to manufacture flavourings and production conditions for certain smoke flavourings.

It therefore affects Turkish businesses and foreign manufacturers supplying food, flavouring products or ingredients to the Turkish market. The compliance assessment should be performed at ingredient and source-material level, not only by reviewing the finished product.

1. Only Compliant Flavourings May Be Used in Türkiye

Flavourings and food ingredients with flavouring properties must not create a consumer safety risk based on available scientific evidence and must not mislead consumers.

Some flavourings and source materials are also subject to assessment and authorisation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Where authorisation is required, businesses should check whether the relevant substance appears in Annex 1 of the Regulation and whether the stated conditions of use are met.

2. Pig and Insect-Derived Flavourings Are Prohibited

The Regulation expressly prohibits the use in food in Türkiye of flavourings, food ingredients with flavouring properties and source materials derived from pigs or insects.

International manufacturers should review flavouring specifications, certificates of analysis, supplier declarations, source-material information and technical documentation. A flavouring lawfully used in another jurisdiction should not automatically be treated as acceptable for Türkiye.

3. What Are the Rules for “Natural” Flavourings?

The term “natural” may only be used where the flavouring composition satisfies the regulatory conditions for natural flavourings.

Where a description names a particular food, food group, plant or animal source, all or at least 95% by weight of the flavouring components must come from the referenced source. Product names and marketing descriptions such as “natural lemon flavouring” or “natural vanilla flavouring” should therefore be tested against both the composition and the exact wording used on the label.

4. Turkish Food Flavouring Labelling Requirements

The Regulation contains detailed labelling requirements for flavourings not intended for sale directly to final consumers. Depending on the product, the required information may include:

• the term “flavouring” or a more specific description;
• the intended use of the flavouring;
• storage or use conditions;
• batch or lot information;
• composition information and applicable use limits;
• the manufacturer, packer, importer or distributor;
• net quantity;
• minimum durability or use-by information; and
• relevant allergen information where applicable.

The required information must generally be provided in Turkish. Other official foreign languages may appear alongside Turkish, but foreign suppliers should not assume that an English-only B2B label is sufficient for the Turkish market.

5. Special Labelling Rule for FL 16.133

Packaging or containers for FL 16.133 and flavourings containing FL 16.133 must state that the product contains FL 16.133 and must be protected from light to prevent phototransformation.

Businesses using this substance should review packaging artwork, warehouse conditions, storage procedures and customer-facing technical information together.

6. FL Substances Prohibited from 31 December 2026

From 31 December 2026, the following flavouring substances may no longer be placed on the Turkish market or used in food production:

From the same date, import of these substances and foods containing any of them will no longer be permitted. Businesses should identify affected products, supplier inputs and stock before the end of 2026.

7. What Changes for FL 05.062 and FL 05.099?

FL 05.062 and FL 05.099 are not subject to a total ban. From 31 December 2026, however, they may only be used in the food categories specified in Annex 1.

Companies using either substance should match the finished food to the authorised category and retain evidence supporting the category assessment.

8. What Happens to Products Already on the Market?

Products lawfully placed on the market before the relevant deadline may generally remain available until the end of their shelf life, subject to the specific transitional provisions of the Regulation.

Businesses should document the date of manufacture, the date of placing on the market, the applicable shelf life, inventory location and the legal basis for relying on any transition rule.

9. What Is the Compliance Deadline?

Food businesses within the scope of the Regulation must comply with the new rules by 31 December 2026. Until compliance is achieved, businesses already operating before publication must continue to comply with the previous regulatory framework in accordance with the transition provisions.

Companies with large product portfolios should begin the review early, because flavouring inventories, supplier documentation, label artwork and import planning may require coordinated changes.

10. Reporting and Technical Documentation Obligations

Users or manufacturers of authorised flavouring substances that are still under assessment may be required, upon request from the Ministry, to provide information on the quantity of the substance added to food.

Manufacturers or users must also inform the Ministry if they become aware of new scientific or technical information that may affect a flavouring’s safety assessment. Significant changes to production methods or starting materials may require documentation before the flavouring is placed on the market.

What Should Foreign Food Manufacturers Do?

Foreign manufacturers exporting food products to Türkiye should run a separate Turkish regulatory assessment rather than relying only on EU or other international compliance programmes.

1. Review every ingredient. Identify all flavourings and relevant source materials used in products supplied to Türkiye.
2. Check FL numbers. Screen the portfolio for prohibited substances and the category restrictions applying to FL 05.062 and FL 05.099.
3. Verify sources. Confirm that flavourings and source materials do not fall within the pig or insect-derived prohibition.
4. Test natural claims. Confirm that “natural” descriptions satisfy the source and composition requirements.
5. Review Turkish labels. Check mandatory information for B2B flavouring labels and finished foods.
6. Refresh supplier files. Obtain current technical specifications, origin information and declarations from flavouring suppliers.
7. Plan imports. Confirm that products expected to enter Türkiye after 31 December 2026 do not contain prohibited substances.
8. Assess existing stock. Record which products may benefit from transitional provisions and retain placing-on-market evidence.

Does Turkish Compliance Follow EU Food Flavouring Compliance?

The Regulation was prepared taking relevant European Union legislation on flavourings and smoke flavourings into account. However, EU compliance does not automatically establish compliance in Türkiye.

Türkiye has introduced specific national requirements, including the express prohibition on pig- and insect-derived flavourings and source materials. Foreign businesses should therefore perform a Turkish assessment before supplying products to Türkiye.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Practical Compliance Checklist

Before 31 December 2026, businesses supplying food products or flavourings to Türkiye should confirm that:

• all flavouring substances and source materials have been identified;
• relevant FL numbers have been checked against the Annexes;
• prohibited substances are not used in products entering the Turkish market after the deadline;
• FL 05.062 and FL 05.099 are used only within permitted categories;
• pig- and insect-derived sources have been excluded;
• “natural” flavouring claims satisfy composition rules;
• Turkish labels and B2B documentation have been reviewed;
• supplier specifications and origin declarations are current; and
• existing inventory is assessed under the transitional provisions.

Legal and Regulatory Support in Türkiye

Food manufacturers, flavouring producers, exporters and importers entering or supplying the Turkish market may need to review product composition, labels, technical documentation and import requirements before placing products on the market.

Turkish Trade Lawyers advises international businesses on Turkish food regulation, product compliance, labelling, import requirements and market access matters.