UNOFFICIAL TRANSLATION  
 
Communiqué   
 
TURKISH FOOD CODEX   
SALT COMMUNIQUÉ DRAFT 
(2013/….)  
 
From the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock:  
 
 
Purpose   
ARTICLE 1 – (1) The purpose of this Communiqué is  to determine the particulars of this product in  order 
to enable the production, preparation, processing, preservation, storage, handling and marketing of food 
grade salts and underground spring salts by the use of appropriate techniques and hygienically.  
 
Scope   
ARTICLE  2 – (1) This Communiqué shall co ver the processed salts  and underground spring salts  
provided for human consumption in a package. It shall not cover the salts intended for particular 
nutritional purposes; low sodium, potassium salts etc.  
 
Legal Basis   
ARTICLE 3 – (1) This Regulation has been prepared based on Turkish Food Codex 
Regulation  published in Official Gazette No. 28157 bis. 3 of 29/12/2011.  
 
 
Definitions  
 
ARTICLE 4 – (1) Within the scope of this Communiqué:  
 
a) Sea salt refers to salts derived from seawater by the use of appropriate techniques.  
 
b) Food industry salt refers to processed salts or underground spring salts which are used in the food 
industry, not supplied to the final consumer directly and produced as  iodised or non -iodised.  
 
c) Lake salt refers to salts derived from the lake water by the use of appropriate techniques.  
 
ç) Pickling salt refers to the processed salt or underground spring salt which is directly supplied to the 
final consumer, used for food preservation purposes in the preparation of canned foods, pickles, brines 
and other similar products particularly at households, and does not contain iodine.  
 
d) Processed salt refers to sea, lake and rock salts the main element of which is sodium chloride 
and which are produced in such a way as to be suitable for human consumption.  
 
e) Rock salt refers to salts derived from the underground salt galleries by the use of appropriate 
techniques.  
 
f) Table salt refers to the processed salt which is directly supplied to the final consumer, finely 
granulated, enriched with iodine, and refined or unrefined.  
 
 
 
   
g) Table ground salt refers to processed salt or underground spring salt which is supplied to the final 
consumer to be ground at the table, in a crystal state, not fortified with iodine.  
 
h) Foreign substance refers to all kinds of visible organic and inorganic  substances except for salt 
particles.  
 
i) Underground spring salt refers to salts derived from the water emerging from the underground to 
the surface naturally.  
 
Particularities of the Product  
 
ARTICLE 5 – (1) The particularities of the  products within the  scope of this Communiqué  shall be  
the following:  
 
a) The salt shall not contain any foreign substances.  
 
b) The processed salt shall not be put on the market without being refined or washed.  
 
c) The moisture content shall be 2% by mass at most in underground spr ing salts and sea salts and 
0,5% in other salts.  
 
ç) The content of sodium chloride in underground spring and rock salts and in other salts shall not be 
less than 97% and 98% on a dry matter basis, respectively.  
 
d) The total amount of acid -insolubles present in processed salts shall be 0,5% by mass at most.  
 
e) The amount of water -insolubles present in processed salts shall be 0,5% by mass at most.  
 
f) Table salt:  
 
1) shall be homogenous and the particle size shall be in such a way that it passes as a whole from a 
sieve whose aperture size is 1000 um, and in case of a sieve the aperture size of which is 210 um, 20% 
of it passes from the sieve.  
 
2) The table salt shall con tain 25 -40 mg/kg of potassium iodate. Upper limit determined for the iodine 
may differ by +3 mg/kg.  
 
3) For those who should not consume iodine, non -iodized table salt can be produced.  
 
g) Food industry salt:  
 
1) It is not obligatory to add iodine.  
 
2) It shall have the particularities determined for the table salt in the case that the iodine is added.  
 
3) It  cannot  be  offered  to  the  final  consumer  in  retail  shops,  but  in  salt  production  places  and  food  
 
 
 
   
whole salers.  
 
ğ) Except for the underground spring salts, the particle size of the pickling salt shall be in such a way 
that it passes as a whole from a sieve whose aperture size is 6000 um, and in case of a sieve the 
aperture size of which is 2000 um, 10% of it passes from the sieve.  
 
h) Except for the underground spring salts, the particle size of the table ground salt shall be in such a 
way that it passes as a whole from a sieve whose aperture size is 4000 um, and in case of a sieve the 
aperture size of which i s 1000 um, 10% of it passes from the sieve.  
 
i) Salts which are produced according to their origins under the scope of this Communiqué shall not be 
placed on the market if they are mixed together.  
 
j) Provided that it is not contrary to the rights arising from  the geographical indication, salts that are 
known by their regional and local names can be produced under those names.  
 
k) Underground spring salts shall be placed on the market only as pickling salt, food industry salt and 
table ground salt.  
 
Additives  
 
ARTICLE 6 – (1) The additives used in products which fall within the scope of this Communiqué  
shall comply with the provisions of Regulation on Turkish Food Codex Food Additives published in 
Official Gazette No. 28157 bis. 3 of 29/12/2011.  
 
Contaminants  
 
ARTICLE 7 – (1) The amount of contaminants in products which fall within the scope of this  
Communiqué shall comply with the amount of contaminants listed in ANNEX -2 in addition to the 
provisions of Regulation on Turkish Food Codex Contaminants published in Official Gazette No. 
28157 bis. 3 of 29/12/2011.  
 
Hygiene  
 
ARTICLE 8 – (1) Products which fall within the scope of this Communiqué shall comply with the  
provisions of Regulation on Food Hygiene published in Official Gazette No. 28145 of 17/12/2011 and 
of R egulation on Turkish Food Codex Microbiological Criteria published in Official Gazette No. 
28157 bis. 3 of 29/12/2011.  
 
Packaging  
 
ARTICLE 9 – (1) Packages of the products which fall within the scope of this Communiqué shall  
comply with the provisions of Regulation on Turkish Food Codex Food Contact Substances and 
Materials published in Official Gazette No. 28157 bis. 3 of 29/12/2011.  
 
 
 
   
(2) A package material that prevents iodine loss shall be used for salts enriched with iodine . 
 
 
 
Labelling  
 
ARTICLE 10 – (1) The label of products which fall within the scope of this Communiqué shall  
comply with the following provisions in addition to those of Regulation on Turkish Food Codex 
Labelling published in Official Gazette No. 28157 bis.  3 of 29/12/2011.  
 
a) In case of iodized salt, the symbol set out in Annex -1 shall be in such a size that is distinctly visible 
and at the same level as the product name.  
 
b) Recommended expire date shall be declared on the label of the iodized salt.  
 
c) The me thod of processing shall be declared on the label of products which fall within the scope of 
this Communiqué.  
 
ç) A description of the type of salt shall be affixed namely “table salt”, “table ground salt”, “pickling 
salt” and “food industry salt” on the label of products which fall within the scope of this Communiqué. 
The origin of the salt shall also be declared on the label such as “sea salt or derived from the sea salt”, 
“rock salt or derived from the rock salt”, “lake salt or derived from the lake sal t” and “underground 
spring salt or derived from the underground spring salt”.  
 
d) For table salt:  
 
1) The name of the product shall be stated as “table salt with iodine”.  
 
2) The statement, “keep closed in a cool, dry and dark place”, shall be affixed to the label as usage 
information.  
 
3) Net amount shall not exceed 3000 gr.  
 
4) Package size shall not exceed 250 g . for non -iodized salts produced for those who should not 
consume iodine. “Non -iodized table salt” expression shall be declared on the label as the product 
name in such a colour that is in contrast with the package.  
 
e) For food industry salts:  
 
1) “Produced  for food industry” expression shall be declared on the label together with the product 
name in such a colour that is in contrast with the package.  
 
2) Whether iodine has been added or not should be indicated. The expression “iodized food industry 
salt” shal l be declared on food industry salts enriched with iodine.  
 
3) Net amount shall be at least 10 kg.  
 
 
   
f) Net amount shall be at least 1500 g. for pickling salt.  
 
g) “Not fortified with iodine ” expression shall be declared on the label  of the table ground salt 
in such a way that contrasts with the package. Net amount shall not exceed 500 g. for table ground salt.  
 
ğ) Net amount shall n ot exceed 500 g. for table ground salts.  
 
h) An expression of superiority arising from the origin of the salt shall not be declared on the label of 
the products placed on the market under this Communiqu é.  
 
i) The expression “Consume less salt, keep healthy ” shall be declared on the label of the 
product s which fall within the scope of this Communiqu é.  
 
Handling and storage  
 
ARTICLE  11  –  (1)  When  handling  and  storing  the  products  which  fall  within  the  scope  of  this   
Communiqu é, rules set out in  Section „Handling and Storage  of Foodstuffs ‟ of Regulation on Turkish   
Food Codex shall be complied with.  
 
Methods of sampling and analysis  
 
ARTICLE 12 – (1) Sampling and analysis of the products which fall within the scope of this  
Communiqu é shall  be carried out in compliance with the pr ovisions of Regulation on Turkish Food 
Codex published in Official Gazette No. 28157 bis. 3 of 29/12/2011.  
 
Notification to the European Union  
 
ARTICLE  13  –  (1)  This  Communiqu é  has  been  communicated  to  the  Commission  of  European   
Union within the scope of Regulation on the Notification of Technical Legislation and Standards 
between Turkey and the European Union.  
 
Mutual Recognition  
 
ARTICLE 14 – (1) The provisions of this Communiqu é shall not appl y to the products which 
have been legally produc ed in a European Union member country or have legally entered into circulation.  
 
(2) However, the Ministry can evaluate the product set out in the first paragraph in accordance with 
the rules and principles laid down in Section Three of the Regulation on M utual Recognition in the 
Non-Harmonised Area which is brought into force by Decision No. 2012/3169 of the Council of 
Ministers of 2/5/2012, and as a result of this evaluation, if it identifies that the product does not ensure 
the level of pr otection provid ed for by this Communiqu é, it can prohibit and stipulate the 
placing on the market of the product, or withdraw or recall the product.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Administrative sanction   
ARTICLE 15 – (1) Administrative sanctions shall be imposed on those who act in contrary  to 
this Communiqué in accordance with the relevant articles of Law No. 5996 on Veterinary 
Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed.  
 
Communiqué repealed  
 
ARTICLE 16 – (1) Turkish Food Codex Salt Communiqué  which entered into force upon  
publication in Official  Gazette No. 26765 of 23.01.2008 has been repealed.  
 
Compliance Obligation  
 
PROVISIONAL ARTICLE 1 – (1) Food operators who were active before the date of  
publication of this Communiqué shall be liable to comply with the provisions of this   
Communiqué withi n a year as of the date of publication of this Communiqué.  
 
Entry into Force  
 
ARTICLE 17 – (1) This Communiqué shall enter into force on the day it is published.  
 
Enforcement  
 
ARTICLE 18 - (1) The provisions of this Communiqué shall be  enforced by the Minister 
of Food, Agriculture and Livestock.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
ANNEX -2 
 
The amount of contaminants in the processed salts and underground spring salts:  
 
Arsenic  0,5 mg/kg at most  
  
Copper  2 mg/kg at most  
  
Lead  2 mg/kg at most  
  
Cadmium  0,5 mg/kg at most  
  
Mercury  0,1 mg/kg at most  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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