Bought after praising the "Taste of Heaven," but teeming with bacteria... Kaymak sales halted and recalled

On the 10th, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that the Kaymak (traditional Turkish cream) products distributed in the market were judged to be non-compliant with bacterial count standards, leading to a suspension of sales and a recall.

The recall target is the 'Kaymak' product manufactured by the dairy company 'The Creamery,' with a packaging unit of 100g and an expiration date of June 18, 2024. The barcode number of the product is 8809990518999.

Dairy company 'The Creamery' manufactured 'Kaymak' 100g [Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety explained, "The self-quality inspection results of 'The Creamery' confirmed non-compliance with bacterial count standards," and urged, "Customers who purchased the product should stop consumption and contact the customer center indicated on the product or return it to the place of purchase." They also added, "Sellers who have the recalled products in stock should stop sales and return them to the recalling business operator."

Kaymak, which has recently gained popularity as a dessert, is a dairy product made by boiling milk for a long time and collecting the fat layer, which is then solidified like cream. It is a traditional Turkish food, and locally, it is said to be enjoyed as breakfast with honey, nuts, and bread served alongside Kaymak.

In Korea, Kaymak gained recognition in 2019 when Baek Jong-won, CEO of The Born Korea, praised it as a "taste of heaven" on a TV program introducing Turkish local cuisine. At that time, Baek said, "The thing I miss most after traveling to Turkey and returning to Korea is Kaymak," and shared an anecdote, "I tried making it myself while planning a business because I couldn't forget the taste, but I gave up because it was not economically viable."