Famous Food Chain Served Pork in a Muslim Country for Years

ecent revelations of the inclusion of pork in the favorite chain of meatballs sent shock waves among a country’s core where religious food laws mean everything. dominantly Muslim, Turkey maintains its adherence to Islamic principles by its standards of food.

For years, consumers trusted that their food was indeed h­alal based on these religious tenets; the scandal that finally exploded upon a meatball chain serving ‘swine’ pork has left the nation in shock, asking critical questions about the safety and integrity of food, above all, about trust.

A Scandal that Shook the Entire Nation The controversy exploded this year when the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry published results of regular food controls. Controls that were supposed to uncover food fraud cases had something much more explosive to reveal than most were expecting: traces of pork DNA in samples from two branches of a famous meatball chain-a breach of consumer trust if there ever was one, and religious dietary laws no less.

The reaction was one of shock. This chain, so popular and loved by one and all for its reasonably priced, succulent meatballs, is a household name in the country, boasting more than 280 outlets. How could such an established business, purporting to follow halal guidelines, commit such a reprehensible…