Georgia's Food Agency Finds Contaminants Above Limits in Turkish Ayvalık Olive Oil

The National Food Agency of Georgia reported on 23 October that a sample of Turkish olive oil did not meet Georgian food safety requirements. The sample contained glycidyl fatty acid esters and 3-MCPD with its fatty acid esters above the permitted limits. The test was carried out by the laboratory of the BIOR institute.

Which product

• Brand: Ayvalık
• Product: extra virgin olive oil
• Packaging: 5-litre tin
• Barcode: 8693465410990
• Producer registration number: TR-10-K-042281
• Country of production: Türkiye

The agency stresses that the result applies only to this sample. It does not confirm that other products or batches from the same producer fail the requirements.

What these substances are

According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), these substances form when vegetable oils are refined at high temperatures. EFSA considers glycidol, which is released from glycidyl esters during digestion, genotoxic and carcinogenic.

What you can do

If you have a 5-litre tin of Ayvalık olive oil at home, compare the barcode on the label with 8693465410990. The agency has not yet said what the measures are or whether the product will be withdrawn from sale. Until it does, you may prefer to put a matching tin aside.

Georgia started testing oils and fats for some of these contaminants in 2026. So far the agency has taken 71 samples of oils and fats.