T.C.
GIDA, TARIM ve HAYVANCILIK BAKANLIÐI
Gýda ve Kontrol Genel Müdürlüðü
Communiqué on Quick-Frozen Foodstuffs 
Authorization Law: Turkish Food Codex
The Official Gazette: 13.01.2005 – 25699
Communication No : 2004/46
Objective
Article 1- The objective of this Communiqué is to determine the characteristics of quick-frozen foodstuffs in order to ensure that the production, preservation, storage, transportation, and marketing thereof is performed hygienically and according to its proper technique.
Scope
Article 2- This Communiqué covers quick-frozen foodstuffs; it does not cover ice cream and other edible ices.
Legal Basis
Article 3- This Communiqué has been prepared according to the “Turkish Food Codex Regulation” published in the Official Gazette number 23172 and dated 16.11.1997.
Definitions
Article 4- The terms mentioned in this Communiqué are;
“quick-frozen foodstuffs” Foodstuffs which have undergone a suitable freezing process known as “quick-freezing” whereby the zone of maximum crystallization is crossed as rapidly as possible, depending on the type of product, and the resulting temperature of the product (after thermal stabilization) is continuously maintained at a level of -18º C or lower at all points, and which are marketed in such a way as to indicate that they possess this characteristic.
Product Characteristics
Article 5- The characteristics of the products covered in this Communiqué, are given below.
a) Raw materials used in the manufacture of quick-frozen foodstuffs must be sound and fresh, and of suitable quality for freezing.
b) Preparation and quick-freezing of products must be carried out promptly, using appropriate technical equipment, in order to limit chemical, biochemical, and microbiological changes to a minimum.
c) The cryogenic media authorized, to the exclusion of all others, for use in direct contact with quick-frozen foodstuffs shall be air, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.
d) The temperature of quick-frozen foodstuffs must be stable and maintained, at all points in the product, at -18 °C or lower; however, possible temperature fluctuations during transport shall be no more than ± 3 °C.
e) Tolerances in the temperature of the product in accordance with good storage and distribution practice shall not exceed ± 3 °C during local distribution and in retail display cabinets.
f) All equipment used for quick-freezing, storage, transport, local distribution, and retail display cabinets shall be officially checked to ensure compliance with the requirements of this Communiqué.
g) Temperature checks of the quick-frozen foodstuffs shall be conducted during official checks.
h) Quick-frozen foodstuffs intended for direct supply to the consumer must be packaged under suitable conditions in order to protect them from microbiological or chemical contaminants and against drying.
ý) Those products, that are amongst quick-frozen foodstuffs, which are covered in this Communiqué and for which an individual product Communiqué has been published, shall also comply with their own communiqués.
i) The temperature monitoring of quick-frozen foodstuffs during their storage, preservation and transportation shall be carried out in accordance with the rules laid down in the “Turkish Food Codex - Communiqué on monitoring temperatures of quick-frozen and frozen foodstuffs during their storage, preservation, and transportation.”
Additives
Article 6- The additives to be used in the products that are covered in this Communiqué must conform to the section on “Food Additives” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Contaminants
Article 7- The amount of contaminants in the products that are covered in this Communiqué must conform to the section on “Contaminants” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Pesticide Residues
Article 8- The amount of pesticide residues that may be present in the products that are covered in this Communiqué must conform to the section on “Pesticide Residues” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Tolerance Levels for Veterinary Medicinal Products
Article 9- The amount of the residues of veterinary medicinal products present in the products that are covered in this Communiqué must conform to the section on “Tolerance Levels for Veterinary Medicinal Products” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Hygiene
Article 10- The products that are covered in this Communiqué must be manufactured in conformity with the general rules laid down in the section on “Food Hygiene” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Characteristics of Establishments
Article 11- Establishments that produce the products that are covered in this Communiqué must conform to the general rules laid down in the section on “Characteristics Required for Establishments Producing Foodstuffs” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Packaging, Labelling and Marking
Article 12- The packaging, labelling and marking of the products that are covered in this Communiqué must be performed in conformity with the general rules laid down in the section on “Packaging and Labelling-Marking” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation. Additionally, the following requirement must be met:
a) The label must indicate the date of minimum durability, the period during which quick-frozen products may be stored by the purchaser and the storage temperature, and/or the type of storage equipment required.
b) The lot numbers indicated on the label of any quick-frozen foodstuffs must be in conformity with the “Turkish Food Codex - Communiqué on the Establishment of the Markings or Symbols of Lot Numbers on Foodstuffs”.
c) The label of any quick-frozen foodstuff must bear, for the consumer, a clear message of the type “Do Not Refreeze after Defrosting”.
Transportation and Storage
Article 13- The transportation and storage of the products that are covered in this Communiqué must conform to the rules laid down in the section on “Transportation and Storage of Foodstuffs” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation.
Sampling and Methods of Analysis
Article 14- The sampling to be made from products that are covered in this Communiqué must be performed in conformity with the rules specified in the section on “Sampling and Methods of Analysis” of the Turkish Food Codex Regulation, and internationally recognized methods of analysis must be applied. In addition to the said these rules, the temperature monitoring of the products that are covered in this Communiqué must be carried out in conformity with the “Turkish Food Codex -Communiqué on Sampling and Methods of Analysis for Monitoring Temperatures of Quick-frozen Foodstuffs”
Compliance with the European Union
Article 15- This Communiqué has been prepared within the framework of harmonization with the European Union and taking into consideration Commission Directive 89/108/EEC relating to “quick-frozen foodstuffs for human consumption”.
Registration and Inspection
Article 16- Establishments that produce and sell the products that are covered in this Communiqué are obligated to comply with the provisions of this Communiqué during registration and permit, importation procedures, control and inspection. Legal action shall be taken against establishments that fail to comply with these provisions according to the provisions of “Law No. 5179 dated 27.05.2004 on the Adoption of the Amendment to the Decree Law concerning The Production, Consumption and Inspection of Food”
Inspection
Article 17- The inspection related to the implementation of the provisions laid down in this Communiqué, is carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs according to “Law No. 5179 dated 27.05.2004 on the Adoption of the Amendment to the Decree Law concerning The Production, Consumption and Inspection of Food”
Provisional Article 1- Establishments that are currently operating, which produce and sell the products that are covered in this Communiqué, are obligated to comply with the provisions of this Communiqué within one year.
Enforcement
Article18- This Communiqué enters into force on the date of its publication.
Execution
Article 19- These provisions of this Communiqué are executed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.