Navigating Türkiye’s New Contaminant Regime: What the New Rules Mean for Palm Oil Suppliers
As of 1 January 2026, Türkiye has formally enforced new maximum limits for 3-monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD) and glycidyl fatty acid esters (GE) under the updated Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Contaminants. With the expiry of the transitional period granted to industry, compliance with these limits is now a legal requirement for both domestically produced and imported edible oils.
For Türkiye’s food manufacturing sector, this development represents more than a routine regulatory update. It signals a structural shift in how edible oils are sourced, verified and integrated into production. Regulatory emphasis has moved decisively upstream—away from post-production quality checks and towards compliance at origin—reinforced by tighter import controls and supply-chain assurance.
From Alignment to Enforcement: Türkiye’s Regulatory Timeline
Türkiye first announced its intention to harmonise contaminant limits with international benchmarks in 2023, providing a 24-month adaptation window for refiners, importers and food manufacturers. This period was designed to allow sufficient time for process upgrades, procurement realignment and the establishment of analytical and mitigation capacity across the sector.
That transition formally concluded on 31 December 2025. From January 2026 onwards, the revised contaminant limits have been fully enforced across the full spectrum of edible oils under the Turkish Food Codex, shifting regulatory focus decisively from preparation to execution.
Enhanced Import Controls and Compliance Enforcement
In December 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry announced the introduction of intensified import controls, effective from 1 January 2026. Under the revised Implementation Instruction on Import Controls of Plant-Based Food and Feed, imported edible oils are now subject to official sampling and laboratory analysis for 3-MCPD and GE, irrespective of oil type or country of origin.
Shipments found to exceed the applicable Turkish Food Codex limits are denied entry into the Turkish market. This heightened level of scrutiny at ports has become an increasingly important consideration in procurement strategies across Türkiye’s food manufacturing sector.
At the same time, industry discussions are ongoing regarding potential mechanisms to balance regulatory oversight with production continuity, particularly in relation to verification procedures and post-import handling. While various approaches are being explored among stakeholders, no formal supplementary arrangements have been announced. In the absence of further regulatory guidance, importers are operating in an environment where inspection timelines and enforcement practices remain material commercial considerations.
Applicable Contaminant Limits Across Edible Oils
To provide clarity on how the regulation applies across different oil categories, the Turkish Food Codex establishes differentiated maximum limits for 3-MCPD and GE based on oil type, reflecting variances in raw material composition and refining intensity. These limits apply equally to domestically produced and imported oils.
Maximum Limits for 3-MCPD and GE by Oil Category
Table 1: Maximum limits for 3-MCPD and GE by oil category (Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915, 2023).
This category-based framework underscores that the regulation is not targeted at any single oil. Rather, it represents a comprehensive contaminant control regime encompassing the full range of edible oils used within Türkiye’s food system.
Divergent Compliance Capabilities Across the Industry
The transition into full enforcement has brought differences in technical readiness across Türkiye’s food manufacturing landscape into sharper focus. Large, vertically integrated food groups have largely anticipated the regulatory shift. Over the past two years, many have invested in mitigation technologies and process optimisation, enabling the compliant use of standard-grade oils with relative operational stability.
For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), adjustment remains significantly more challenging. Most SMEs lack access to capital-intensive refining or mitigation technologies required for consistent compliance, leaving them with limited options—either sourcing higher-priced, pre-mitigated oils from origin or switching to alternative edible oils with higher cost structures. This divergence is expected to accelerate consolidation in sourcing patterns, with compliance capability emerging as an increasingly decisive criterion in supplier selection.
Operational Implications of Extended Inspection Procedures
Beyond compliance thresholds, inspection timelines have emerged as a critical operational concern. Türkiye’s food manufacturing sector relies heavily on just-in-time supply chains, particularly in segments such as confectionery, bakery and processed foods. Delays between port inspection, analytical clearance and release for production can rapidly disrupt manufacturing schedules.
In the absence of clearly defined verification timelines, importers and manufacturers must factor potential holding costs, storage constraints and shipment delays into their operational planning. For exporters supplying international retail and branded food chains, even short disruptions can trigger downstream consequences, including missed delivery windows and contractual exposure.
Opportunities for Malaysian Palm Oil in a Tighter Regulatory Environment
Within this broader regulatory framework, the implications for Malaysian palm oil are commercially significant, given Malaysia’s position as Türkiye’s principal supplier. Early market signals suggest that Malaysian producers with established mitigation measures, strong refining controls and robust quality assurance systems are well positioned under the fully enforced regime.
Turkish buyers are increasingly prioritising suppliers capable of delivering compliant oils at the point of entry, with minimal needs for downstream corrective action. In this context, Malaysia’s technical maturity, refining capacity and accumulated experience in contaminant management have emerged as clear commercial strengths. While some short-term adjustment is expected as inspection and enforcement practices continue to stabilise, this is widely viewed as transitional, with Malaysia’s ability to deliver continuity, consistency and compliance, reinforcing its role within Türkiye’s evolving edible oil market.