North Macedonia Food Safety Alert: Major Irregularities Found in Dairy Products After Extensive Inspections

 Authorities in North Macedonia have uncovered significant irregularities in the dairy sector following extensive inspections carried out by the Food and Veterinary Agency of North Macedonia Food and Veterinary Agency of North Macedonia. 

The inspections were launched as part of extraordinary controls aimed at ensuring food safety and consumer protection across both domestic and imported products.

Lab inspections in North Macedonia uncover widespread violations in dairy products, revealing hidden vegetable fats and mislabeled milk fat percentages that trigger heavy institutional fines.

In total, 91 samples of milk, dairy products, and processed meat products were collected from various operators. These samples included both locally produced goods and imported items. Out of 45 samples already analyzed in certified laboratories, inspectors identified violations in 10 food business operators who were selling dairy products with inconsistent or misleading composition compared to what was declared on product labels, local media reports.

One of the most serious cases involved a dairy operator who mislabeled the fat content of cheese. According to official findings, a laboratory test conducted on a 22-kilogram sample of finely processed cheese revealed a major discrepancy: the product was labeled as containing 20% milk fat, while in reality it contained only 1%. As a result, the operator was fined approximately 3,500 euros in local currency equivalent.

In another case, inspectors discovered the use of non-dairy fats in a product marketed as milk-based. Laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of vegetable fats, specifically palm oil, used in the production of what was being sold as a dairy product. The operator responsible was fined around 1,300 euros, and the suspicious batch weighing approximately 500 kilograms was immediately withdrawn from circulation and safely destroyed in a landfill.

Additionally, eight other producers and importers were sanctioned, each receiving fines of approximately 1,050 euros. These penalties were issued after laboratory tests revealed differences between the declared milk fat content on product labels and the actual composition found in the tested samples.

The Food and Veterinary Agency emphasized that intensified inspections will continue in the coming period, targeting both producers and importers of dairy products. The goal is to ensure compliance with food safety regulations, improve transparency in food labeling, and protect consumers from misleading or potentially fraudulent products in the market.

Officials also stressed that such measures are essential to maintaining trust in the food supply chain and ensuring that products available to consumers meet required quality and safety standards.